US IRAN DEAL: On Saturday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a framework that has been agreed upon by the United States and Iran regarding a peace pact which would resolve the months-long conflict in the Middle East, with a final text of the deal reached. Pakistan is now ready for an electronic signing likely in 24 hours and the next week for technical level talks, Sharif added. The proposed agreement is said to result in extending the April 7 ceasefire for another 60 days that will be followed by the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
US-Iran Peace Deal Nears Breakthrough
Shehbaz Sharif Says US and Iran Have Reached a Peace Framework
Iran’s nuclear issues will be settled within 60 days following the initial agreement being signed, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday. The parties may agree to prolong the period, he said. Islamabad’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday said the foreign ministers of the two countries discussed a breakthrough in the peace process towards resolving the war between the US and Iran, during a phone conversation.
Although no further information was provided by either side, the two sides expressed hope that the agreement will lead to stability in the region. According to media reports, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis allegedly vowed to continue their discussions until before their meetings that are scheduled to be held ahead of a forthcoming G7 meeting in neighboring Evian, France, between June 15-17. As per IRNA, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that a draft for an agreement has been prepared “and only awaits the final decision of Iran’s policy-makers.”
A ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding between the warring sides could be signed in the next few days, officials in the United States and Iran have said. On Friday, US President Donald Trump said a deal could be signed “in Europe” on Sunday but that he could not attend presumably due to the fact that he will host a mixed martial arts fight event on the lawn of the White House to coincide with his birthday.
CENTCOM Downs Iranian Drones
If you’re counting, it’s the 40th time since the beginning of the war that Trump has repeatedly boasted of a peace deal. Yet, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday tweeted, “The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer” giving a glimmer of hope that the ceasefire may soon be achieved.
The U.S. military claimed early Saturday it had shot down some Iranian drones while the U.S. and Iran were discussing a possible initial success in peace negotiations between the warring parties. A U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) social media post said, “Iran fired several one-way attack drones against commercial vessels now transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which have all been brought down by U.S. forces in recent hours, and the Strait continues to remain open for passage.”
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