Pakistan cabinet celebrates Iran-US ceasefire with sweets, desk thumbing

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Wednesday hailed a diplomatic breakthrough between the United States and Iran, as both sides moved toward a temporary ceasefire and agreed to hold high-level talks in Islamabad on April 10.

According to sources, cabinet members were served sweets during the meeting to mark the development, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the efforts of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who, along with the premier, played a key role in facilitating the negotiations.

The cabinet also decided to observe a “Thanksgiving Day” on Friday, calling on the nation to offer special prayers for the success of the ongoing dialogue process, sources added.

Cabinet members also applauded the efforts of the Field Marshal and congratulated the prime minister.

The developments came hours after US President Donald Trump announced a two-week suspension of planned military strikes against Iran, saying the decision followed direct discussions with Sharif and Field Marshal Munir, who urged restraint.

Trump said that US military objectives had already been achieved and claimed that Washington and Tehran were “very far along” in negotiations for a longer-term peace agreement.

He also said Iran had submitted a 10-point proposal that the United States viewed as a workable framework for further talks.

Shortly after, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts and confirmed that Iran would halt its defensive military operations if attacks against it ceased.

Araqchi also announced that Iran would allow safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz for a period of two weeks, under coordination with its armed forces, addressing concerns over one of the world’s most critical energy routes.

The diplomatic momentum continued when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that the United States, Iran and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire across all theatres, including Lebanon.

Sharif praised the leadership of both countries for their “wisdom and understanding” and formally invited delegations from Washington and Tehran to Islamabad for negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive and lasting agreement.

The planned talks are expected to be led by Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance, marking a rare high-level engagement between the two sides after weeks of escalating hostilities, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

The talks follow the ceasefire announced earlier this week, which helped ease fears of a wider regional war and opened a narrow window for diplomacy.

Iran is expected to present a broad 10-point proposal at the Islamabad talks, covering its nuclear programme, regional security concerns and the lifting of long-standing US sanctions, according to ISNA.

The negotiations are likely to test whether both sides can move beyond the temporary ceasefire toward a more durable settlement, with deep mistrust still casting a shadow over relations.

If successful, the Islamabad talks could mark one of the most significant diplomatic breakthroughs in recent Middle Eastern history, potentially easing tensions in a region long marked by conflict.