Qatar Says U.S.-Iran Negotiations Need More Time

Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari. (Twitter/@majedalansari)

JAKARTA - Qatari officials said on Tuesday that the United States' negotiations with Iran, mediated by Pakistan, needed more time to reach an agreement, a day after President Donald Trump said he had postponed a planned attack to give the process a chance.

"We support Pakistan's diplomatic efforts, which have shown seriousness in bringing parties together and finding solutions, and we believe it needs more time," Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a news conference, Al Arabiya reported from AFP (19/5).

Earlier, Trump, who has extended the ceasefire indefinitely and made it clear he wants out of a war that has proved politically damaging, said on Monday he had prepared a new military strike for the following day after Iran rejected the 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 in this region so that they are not the most disadvantaged party of any escalation in this region," al-Ansari said.

However, al-Ansari did not say whether Qatar was optimistic about the deal and did not comment further on Trump's social media posts.