Mediator Pakistan Says U.S. and Iran Expected to Sign Initial Deal Within 24 Hours

AFP

Pakistani ‌Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The United States and Iran have agreed on a framework for a peace deal after more than three months of war and are expected to sign the initial deal in the next 24 hours, Pakistani ‌Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday.

Sharif, whose country has been mediating in the war, said Pakistan was preparing for an electronic signing that would be followed by technical-level talks next week.

The U.S. and Iran had signalled on Friday that an agreement to end their war was close, with a senior U.S. administration official saying both sides had agreed on a text and that Washington expected to sign an initial deal in coming days.

"We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for ⁠the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week," Sharif wrote on X.

"We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that while changes in the deal were still possible, the tentative agreement showed his country had emerged stronger from the conflict.

"Iran is the winner of the war with the U.S.," he said on state television on Friday.

The proposed memorandum of understanding calls for reopening the strait and lifting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, sources on all sides of the talks said. Negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme ⁠would take place afterwards.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters on Friday that the deal met U.S. President Donald Trump's core objectives and put negotiations "in a very, very good place".

Draft terms described to Reuters by multiple sources indicate the U.S. would begin releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on its oil exports, ⁠in return for Iran opening the strait.

Iran's nuclear programme would be addressed during a 60-day period of talks. The U.S. official said the agreement would ultimately lead to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme, with its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to be destroyed and removed.

But Araqchi said that Iran, ⁠which sources said has not accepted the dismantling of its nuclear programme, wanted to retain the uranium in diluted form.

The proposals also include discussion of possible war reparations for Tehran and dropping longstanding U.S. demands for limits on Iran's missile programme, the sources said. The U.S. official disputed that account.

Source: Reuters



PUKMEDIA