On Monday, June 15, the 108th day of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a peace deal between the United States and Iran had been reached and would be formally signed in Switzerland on June 19.
In a post on X, Sharif said, “Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED.”
He said both sides had declared the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.
“The official signing ceremony will be on Friday, 19 June in Switzerland,” he said.
Sharif thanked the United States and Iran for their commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict. He also extended appreciation to Qatar for its support in the mediation effort and acknowledged the contributions of Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
“With the agreement now in place, mediators will facilitate a series of meetings this week. These pre-implementation discussions will lay the foundation for the technical talks and the official signing ceremony,” he added.
He tagged US President Donald Trump, Vice President J D Vance, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in his post.
Trump announced the agreement on Truth Social on Sunday evening, easing pressure on global energy markets. However, details of the deal were not immediately available.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed the agreement on state television but said Tehran would not begin implementing it until the accord is formally signed on Friday.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the negotiations, facilitating contacts between Washington and Tehran and supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
The deal was negotiated through mediators that included Pakistan and Qatar, which initially secured a two-week ceasefire agreement on April 8. The ceasefire was later extended until the completion of the talks.
Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the agreement, calling it an important first step towards reducing tensions and advancing peace through dialogue.
He praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his leadership and vision in facilitating the process and acknowledged the role of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic teams from participating countries.
UN welcomes breakthrough
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement of the peace deal, describing it as a critical step towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres welcomed the announcement that the United States and Iran had agreed on a peace deal providing for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a framework for further negotiations.
The Secretary-General expressed deep appreciation for the constructive role played by Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and other regional countries in supporting the negotiations.
He reaffirmed that the United Nations stands ready to support the parties in achieving a durable and comprehensive peace.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.
Fresh tensions in Lebanon
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, Guterres strongly condemned Israeli strikes on Beirut earlier on Sunday.
He said the attacks took place despite the ceasefire and at a time when the United States and Iran were expected to reach an agreement that could pave the way for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
“This conflict is having a devastating impact on the world’s economy,” Guterres said, urging all parties to show maximum restraint.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that following its strike on a Hezbollah command centre in Beirut’s southern suburbs, it was preparing for possible fire into Israel within hours.
The military said it remained on high alert and ready for both defensive and offensive scenarios following an assessment conducted by Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir and senior commanders.
Israel’s Home Front Command subsequently imposed restrictions on public gatherings, limiting events to a maximum of 5,000 people. The measure resulted in the cancellation of major stadium concerts scheduled in the Tel Aviv area.
Iran also warned that any further Israeli “aggression and malicious acts”, including in southern Lebanon, would trigger a much more severe response.
Iran backs Lebanon’s resistance
Amid rising tensions following the Israeli strikes, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reiterated Tehran’s support for Lebanon and its resistance movement.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf said Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be safeguarded by the country’s fighters and Iran’s diplomatic efforts.
“They can never catch any part of the pillars of resistance alone and isolated; the valiant struggles of Lebanon’s brave fighters and the powerful diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of dear Lebanon and will dismantle the crazy antics and warmongering of the Israeli regime,” he wrote.
Earlier, Ghalibaf said Israel’s latest attack on Beirut demonstrated that the United States lacked either the will or the ability to fulfil its commitments.
“The bad cop and good cop game has become outdated. If you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible,” he wrote.
Background
The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28 that resulted in the deaths of several senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Mohammad Pakpour and Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, among others.
Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, is now the supreme leader, but has not been seen in public since the war began.
With inputs from PTI and IANS
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