Shehbaz hopes for US-Iran peace deal within 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that a peace deal between Iran and the United States was expected to be finalised within 24 hours. “We are closer to a peace deal than ever before, ” he said in a statement posted on X, adding that Pakistan was preparing for the electronic signing of the agreement, followed by technical-level talks. He thanked the US and Iran for what he described as their continued commitment to negotiations, as well as regional partners for their support. “We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace, ” he said. On Friday, Prime Minister Sharif said a “final, agreed-upon” text had been reached and that Islamabad was working closely with both sides to complete the next steps. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made similar remarks on Friday, referring to the proposed accord as the “Islamabad memorandum of understanding”. “The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer, ” he wrote on X, urging media to avoid speculation until the deal is finalised. He said full details would be released in due course. Tensions had flared earlier in the week, with Washington and Tehran exchanging strikes after an American Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports. Further exchanges followed on Thursday, with US President Donald Trump warning of planned “bigger” air strikes, before later calling them off after discussions with senior Iranian officials. In a post on his Truth Social, Trump said “discussions and final points” had been approved by all parties involved, listing the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt among those engaged in the process. The conflict began on February 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by a series of exchanges until a ceasefire in April, with Pakistan acting as a mediator. A round of talks was held in Islamabad that month, though no agreement was reached after 21 hours of negotiations. Meanwhile, the prime minister received a telephone call from Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, as diplomatic efforts surrounding a proposed peace agreement accelerated. According to a statement issued from the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif expressed gratitude for Qatar’s “strong and steadfast support” for Pakistan’s peace efforts during the Gulf crisis, adding that a peace agreement was now expected to be signed by the relevant parties “very shortly. ” The Qatari prime minister, in response, commended Pakistan’s diplomatic role and praised Prime Minister Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their contributions to facilitating the negotiations. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

Read full story on Business Recorder