US, Iran agree to extend ceasefire as Pakistan steps up mediation: report

The United States and Iran have “agreed” to extend a ceasefire ahead of the expiration of the 60-day deadline under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday, citing government sources in Pakistan.

“Both sides have conveyed their consent to the mediators to extend the deadline,” a source told the Turkish news agency.

“However, the two sides are exchanging messages to decide on the extension period,” the source added.

The Islamabad MoU is set to expire on August 17, the report said.

Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi delivered a “special and important” message from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir to the Iranian leadership during his visit to Tehran, read a statement from the Interior Ministry.

Naqvi further informed his Iranian counterpart that Pakistan’s Field Marshal was constantly in touch with Gulf countries, Iran and the US.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif indicated that the US and Iran were close to reaching an arrangement that could ease tensions which have embroiled energy markets.

“Things are shaping up again in favour of a peace arrangement or a deal,” Asif told Bloomberg News.

“The signals in the last two, three days are that we are close to some sort of an arrangement.”

Pakistan has actively engaged in mediation efforts to de-escalate the ongoing US-Iran conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, and Iran’s subsequent retaliations.

These efforts have been widely recognised and supported by various regional and international partners, including China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, and the United Nations.