Pakistan mediated US-Iran agreement after more than 100 days of war
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed that Army Chief Asim Munir was the key figure keeping negotiations alive until the US and Iran reached a deal.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the National Assembly on Monday that during the final stretch of negotiations between the United States and Iran, there were moments when the talks appeared close to collapse. He stated that each time, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s powerful military chief, kept the deliberations alive. Sharif said Munir was awake day and night, sacrificing his time to extinguish the flames of war. Pakistan’s mediation resulted in an agreement ending more than three months of war that has killed thousands, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and disrupted global energy markets.
The agreement, announced early Monday by Sharif on X, calls for an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump confirmed the deal shortly after. According to the 14-point memorandum of understanding, the US commits to lifting its naval blockade of Iran within 30 days and withdrawing forces deployed near Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, effectively shut by Iran since the war began, is to reopen for normal transit. Iran’s frozen assets, estimated at $24 billion, are likely to be released in phases over the next 60 days of further negotiations addressing Iran’s nuclear program. Discussions on Iran’s missile program and support for armed groups have been removed from the immediate agenda.
Sharif praised the efforts of his deputy prime minister and foreign minister, interior minister, and acknowledged the roles of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and China. The path to the deal was not linear. After a ceasefire in April, face-to-face talks did not resume for weeks. Pakistani officials shuttled between Washington and Tehran with little public progress. Former diplomat Jauhar Saleem described Islamabad’s mediation as an example of a never-give-up approach where an honest broker can overcome a trust deficit.
The final hours were tense. On Saturday, Sharif said the US and Iran had reached a final agreed text. An Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday drew an angry response from Tehran, but Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signaled diplomacy remained alive. Early Monday, Sharif posted on X announcing the tentative deal, and Trump confirmed. A signing ceremony hosted by Pakistan is scheduled for Friday in Geneva.
