Pakistan Says U.S.-Iran Deal Reached, Signing Set for Friday

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said overnight that the United States and Iran have reached a peace agreement that would end military operations immediately and permanently across all fronts, including Lebanon. In a post, Sharif said the official signing ceremony is scheduled for Friday, June 19, in Switzerland.

Sharif said mediators will hold a series of meetings this week to prepare for implementation of the understandings. He thanked the United States and Iran for choosing a diplomatic solution and praised Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for helping broker what he described as a breakthrough.

The Pakistani announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he planned to issue a formal statement soon confirming a deal with Iran. Trump said the agreement could be signed electronically by him or Vice President Vance, and said it marked a major step toward ending the conflict of recent months.

According to Trump, the deal includes an Iranian commitment not to obtain nuclear weapons, the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and monitoring mechanisms for Iran’s nuclear program. He said Tehran has not yet formally approved the understandings. Trump also commented on an Israeli strike in Beirut and tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying, “Bibi should not have done it,” though he added that Netanyahu is “fine” with the emerging agreement because Iran must never have nuclear weapons.