Political leadership welcomes US-Iran understanding, praises diplomacy

Political leadership, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Monday welcomed the US-Iran peace deal, describing it as a positive development for regional stability and a potential boost to global economic and diplomatic relations.

President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, expressing hope that it will lead to a final agreement and help ensure lasting peace in the region.

In a statement shared on X, President Zardari said the agreement would “hopefully pave the way for a final agreement” and “lay the foundation for lasting and comprehensive peace in the region”.

He said Pakistan had consistently supported dialogue and diplomacy throughout the period of tensions, describing the development as “an important step towards strengthening multilateralism and the peaceful resolution of disputes through engagement and mutual respect”.

The president also expressed hope that the diplomatic effort would “harness greater peace, stability and prosperity for the region and the world”.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced early Monday that the United States and Iran had reached an agreement after intensive negotiations, with both sides declaring an immediate and permanent end to military operations across all fronts, including in Lebanon.

Ishaq Dar

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also went to X to welcome the agreement. The Foreign Secretary said: “This significant breakthrough reflects the strength of sustained diplomatic engagement and the collective willingness of friendly nations to choose dialogue over confrontation.”

Dar said the long-awaited development also sends a “reassuring” message to the international community and provides much-needed confidence and stability to global markets and the world economy, especially for developing countries that are most vulnerable to regional instability.

Throughout this period, he added, Pakistan remained actively engaged with all parties concerned and consistently advocated restraint and constructive engagement, maintaining that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable means to resolve all issues.

Read: Dar discusses regional development with Turkish, Egyptian counterparts: MoFA

“We appreciate the confidence placed in Pakistan by the leadership of both the United States and Iran and commend their commitment to remain committed to the pursuit of a peaceful and negotiated outcome,” he noted.

Dar also thanked Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, as well as the United Nations and international partners for “the support and sincere diplomatic efforts and assistance to achieve this important milestone.”

While negotiations continue on the outstanding issues, Pakistan is ready to support any effort to consolidate this progress, he further said.

“We look forward to the formal signing ceremony on June 19 in Geneva and remain confident that this positive development will pave the way for lasting peace, stability and shared prosperity for the region and beyond, InshaAllah (God willing),” he added.

FinMin Muhammad Auranzgeb

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb welcomed the peace deal, saying it could have positive implications for the global economy and Pakistan’s economic prospects.

In remarks shared by the Ministry of Finance on X, the minister described the development as a significant moment for international stability, saying it marked “a proud moment for the global economy”.

Speaking at a stock exchange ceremony in Pakistan marking the IPO of Service Long March Tires Limited, Aurangzeb said Pakistan’s leadership had played a role in supporting the dialogue and de-escalation efforts.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir were recognized internationally for their efforts, which he said had helped bring the talks to a conclusion. The minister said Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating dialogue had strengthened its position as a “constructive and responsible partner” in regional affairs.

Aurangzeb said the deal could help ease economic uncertainty linked to recent regional tensions. He said Pakistan had “effectively navigated” the initial economic fallout of the conflict over the past three months and suggested the deal could reduce the risk of further spillover.

While noting that disruptions in the energy sector would take time to stabilize, he said the overall economic outlook had improved, with “encouraging upside potential” for the next financial year.

The deal

Pakistan has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomatic engagement to resolve regional conflicts and tensions.

U.S. and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end their war, end the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a tentative pact that sent oil prices down but leaves the fate of Iran’s nuclear program up for further negotiations.

The memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland.

The exact terms were not immediately known. Sharif said in a statement on X that the pact called for the “immediate and permanent suspension of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”

Read more: Trump announces the completion of the Iran deal, removes the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Iranian media on Monday released details of a 14-point draft memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States that lays out a proposed framework for ending the war and moving toward a final agreement.

The draft allows for the full lifting of the US naval blockade against Iran within 30 days. It also calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days under Iranian arrangements.

Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly claimed that a deal with Iran to end the war was close. The two sides have been trading strikes this week, tightening a ceasefire announced in April.

The region has been on edge since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, triggering Iranian retaliation against Israel and other regional countries that host US assets.

A temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8, but talks later stalled over disagreements over its implementation and subsequent regional developments, even as Trump extended the ceasefire indefinitely.