US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and said Tehran-backed Hezbollah should support a 10-day US-backed truce agreed between Lebanon ‌and Israel.

Trump said an extension of a two-week ceasefire with Iran was possible, but may not be needed.

“We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” he told reporters, adding that if an agreement was reached and signed in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, he may go there for the occasion.

The US-Israeli attack on Iran that started on February 28 has killed thousands of people and has been unpopular in the United States, leaving Trump with a political headache just months ​before the crucial midterm elections at home.

The war triggered the worst oil price shock in history, with the International Monetary Fund downgrading its outlook for the global economy and warning prolonged conflict could push it ​to the brink of recession.

Group of Seven finance chiefs on Thursday said there was a pressing need for lasting peace to limit the economic costs.

Backdoor diplomacy progress

A Pakistani ⁠source involved in mediating between the US and Iran said on Friday there was progress in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of a memorandum of ​understanding followed by a comprehensive deal within 60 days.

“Both sides agree in principle. And technical bits come later,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

A diplomatic source said the key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal ​Asim Munir, had been holding talks in Tehran since Wednesday and had made a breakthrough on “sticky issues”.

Those had included Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, with the US proposing at last weekend’s talks a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity. Tehran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.

Iran has demanded that international sanctions be lifted, and Washington has pressed for any highly enriched uranium to be removed from Iran. Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise on ​the HEU stockpile, with Tehran considering shipping part of it out of the country.