Leaders from France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and several EU and Asian countries called on Friday for a “sustainable and concrete negotiation” to end the conflict in the Middle East, as senior American and Iranian officials are set to meet in Pakistan.
In a joint statement, the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, among others, as well as the heads of the European Commission and European Council, expressed their support for the temporary ceasefire and thanked Pakistan and its partners for facilitating the agreement.
They emphasized that the next step should be to achieve a swift and lasting end to the conflict through diplomatic means, urging for rapid progress towards a comprehensive resolution.
The statement highlighted the importance of protecting civilians in Iran and ensuring regional security, warning that the failure to reach an agreement could trigger a severe global energy crisis.
“We support these diplomatic efforts. To this end, we are in close contact with the United States and other partners. We call on all parties to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon,” the statement said.
It also underscored their commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan, in collaboration with Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, successfully brokered a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday, 40 days after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, both parties agreed to meet in Islamabad for talks to negotiate a lasting peace.
US Vice President JD Vance represents the United States, while the Iranian delegation is led by Parliament Speaker Bagher Qalibaf.
These negotiations, called the “Islamabad Talks,” come after Pakistan obtained a two-week ceasefire starting this Wednesday, following 39 days of fighting since February 28, when the United States and Israel initiated a war against Iran, resulting in the death of over 3,000 Iranians.
At least 13 American soldiers have been killed and dozens more injured during the conflict.
