Egypt, Pakistan, Türkiye push for swift resumption of US-Iran talks

CAIRO – 16 April 2026: Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye have called for the swift resumption of talks between the United States and Iran, as part of efforts to end the ongoing war in the Middle East, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the issue in a phone call on Wednesday with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, as the two urged coordinated regional efforts to push for a quick resumption of US-Iran talks.

Abdelatty also discussed the trajectory of the negotiations in a separate call with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, whose country is mediating the talks.

The ministry warned of the repercussions of the ongoing escalation on regional peace and security, with the ministers stressing the need to swiftly resume negotiations to de-escalate the conflict and bring the war to an end.

The push comes amid reports that Washington and Tehran could return to Islamabad for another round of talks later this week, after their first round of discussions in the Pakistani capital ended without a breakthrough earlier this week.

In parallel, a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate negotiations aimed at ending the war, which has been ongoing since February 28.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the prospects for a deal, saying the conflict, currently under a two-week ceasefire set to expire on April 21, could be nearing an end.

He told reporters the war is “very close to over” and that talks may resume soon, potentially leading to an agreement.