File Photo: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivers a televised address. GovtofPakistan/X
Sharif also praised President Donald Trump for pausing the escort of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz barely a day after the US began doing so.
"I am grateful to President Donald Trump for his courageous leadership and timely announcement regarding the pause in Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz," he said in a post on X.
"President Trump's gracious response ... will go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during this sensitive period.
"We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond."
Despite military clashes in the strait in recent days, Trump said "great progress has been made" towards a deal and that the ship-guiding operation "will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the agreement can be finalised and signed."
Despite pausing the ship escorts, Trump said a US blockade of Iranian ports "will remain in full force."
On Monday, Iran had fired missiles and drones at US forces, while Washington said it struck six Iranian boats it accused of threatening commercial shipping, in the sharpest escalation since a month-long truce took effect on April 8.
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