(Reuters)
WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, April 17 – U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went in to effect between Lebanon and Israel.
Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran could take place at the weekend and an extension of a two-week ceasefire was possible, but may not be needed as Tehran wanted a deal.
“We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” he told reporters outside the White House, adding if an agreement was reached and signed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, he may go there for the occasion.
Hours later while in Las Vegas, Trump went further, saying the war “should be ending pretty soon”.
The war with Iran has been unpopular in the United States and has left Trump with a political headache just months before a crucial midterm election at home.
The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran that started on February 28 has triggered the worst oil price shock in history and led to an International Monetary Fund downgrade of its outlook for the global economy and a warning that prolonged conflict could push the world to the brink of recession.
A Pakistani source involved in mediating between the U.S. and Iran said on Friday there was progress in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of an agreement.
The two sides would first sign a memorandum of understanding followed by a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, the source said.
“Detailed agreement comes later. Both sides are agreeing in principle. And technical bits come later,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A diplomatic source said the key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, had been holding talks in Tehran since Wednesday and had made a breakthrough on “sticky issues”.
