Qatar says Pakistan-mediated US-Iran negotiations need 'more time'

DOHA: Qatar said on Tuesday that US-Iran negotiations, mediated by Pakistan, required more time to reach a deal, a day after President Donald Trump said he had postponed planned attacks to give the process a chance.

“We are supportive of the diplomatic effort by Pakistan that has shown seriousness in bringing parties together and finding a solution, and we do believe it needs more time,” Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said at a press conference.

Trump, who had indefinitely extended the truce and made clear he wanted to exit a war that has proved to be politically damaging, said on Monday he had prepared a new military attack for the following day after Iran rejected his outlines of a deal.

But on Monday, Trump said on social media that he had suspended the attack after the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates asked him to give negotiations a chance.

“We want to protect the people of the region from being basically the main losers of any escalation in the region,” al-Ansari said.

He would not say whether Qatar was optimistic or not about a deal and would not comment further on Trump’s social media post.