Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday hailed US President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei for restoring peace in West Asia, announcing that both sides had sealed the “historic" Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Sharif also praised top US and Iranian leaders for their “steadfast commitment to diplomacy" and “embracing the cause of peace", stating that the signing of the document would instantly be followed by the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US naval blockade. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s total energy supplies pass.
Trump signed the memorandum of understanding at the Palace of Versailles in France, where he had dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron after the G7 summit, on Wednesday. Soon, Iranian media posted photos of President Masoud Pezeshkian holding a copy of the signed document before a camera.
It is widely reported that key mediator Pakistan will be signing the memorandum in Switzerland, where a formal ceremony is scheduled to be held on Friday. On Thursday, Sharif said that the signing of the agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrated the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict. He also thanked other West Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye and Egypt.
“I am honoured to announce that the historic ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ has been electronically signed today between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran," Sharif said in a post on X on Thursday.
Sharif said, “Donald Trump’s steadfast commitment to diplomacy and preference for peaceful resolution have once again helped end a conflict that could have led to devastating consequences for the region and beyond." He also praised “the dedication and tireless efforts" of the US negotiating team, including Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy for West Asia Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner, for their contributions.
He expressed “profound respect and appreciation" for Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian for their “wisdom, foresight and statesmanship in embracing the cause of peace".
In his post, he also appreciated the Iranian negotiating team, including parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, whose “patience, perseverance and commitment to constructive engagement were instrumental in bringing this agreement to fruition".
The Pakistan PM further said, “I would especially like to acknowledge the sincere efforts and constructive engagement of the leadership of the State of Qatar in helping reach this point. I also highly commend the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Turkiye and the Arab Republic of Egypt for their indispensable role and invaluable contributions in this regard." He also mentioned the name of Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying, “his tireless efforts, selfless dedication and instrumental role were critical in facilitating this breakthrough and advancing the cause of peace and regional stability." The peace process was negotiated through mediators that included Pakistan and Qatar, who initially got a two-week ceasefire agreement on April 8. The ceasefire was extended till the completion of the talks.
