Iran | Pakistan

The commitment was made during a high-level meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and Iran’s Minister of Agriculture, Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Wednesday that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Lucerne Summit reinforced “our faith in dialogue and diplomacy as the most effective means for peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts”. He made these remarks during a weekly media briefing in Islamabad, where he recalled Pakistan’s efforts for peace between the US and Iran in recent days. Pakistan has been leading the peace efforts since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February, setting off a war and global fuel crisis as Tehran took measures to disrupt traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — a vital maritime corridor for the supply of oil and gas. The latest major developments pertaining to Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation are the signing of the Islamabad MoU on June 18 — a 14-point accord aimed at ending the war — and key direct talks between the US and Iran, dubbed the Lake Lucerne Summit, held in Switzerland over the weekend. Pakistan’s efforts have been acknowl...

WASHINGTON: The US Senate has passed a largely symbolic resolution on Tuesday, calling for an end to President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, delivering a fresh rebuke to the White House as it tries to negotiate a lasting settlement with Tehran. The House-passed measure, adopted by the Senate in a 50-48 vote, directs Trump to remove US forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress explicitly authorises military action. Because the measure is a “concurrent resolution,” it does not go to Trump’s desk for signature and carries disputed legal force. But its passage still puts both chambers of Congress on record against a conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, rattled global energy markets and opened a broader regional war involving Lebanon and Gulf states. The vote came as the Trump administration pursued a 60-day diplomatic push to turn a preliminary memorandum of understanding with Iran into a final agreement covering Tehran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and the Strai...

ISLAMABAD - In a magnificent demonstration of mutual respect and the enduring fraternity between the two neighbouring brotherly nations, a 6-ship formation of JF-17 Thunder and F-16 Falcon aircraft of Pakistan Air Force extended a Ceremonial Air Escort to the aircraft carrying the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian,.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday called for a “united front” of Muslim nations, extending “hands of friendship” for a new regional security structure. Key developments Iranian president holds “productive” talks with PM Shehbaz as he and FM Araghchi visit Pakistan Pezeshkian appreciates Pakistan’s peace efforts, highlights “age-old trust” between two nations Prime minister clarifies Iran’s ballistic missile programme not part of MoU with US President Zardari reaffirms Pakistan’s “principled support” for Iran’s peace CDF Munir, Pezeshkian discuss “peace initiatives” The Iranian president made the remarks during a one-day official visit to Pakistan, undertaken at PM Shehbaz’s invitation. The two leaders held a meeting at the Prime Minister House, which was followed by delegation-level talks. Addressing a joint press conference later with the prime minister, Pezeshkian said he held “constructive meetings and discussions” with PM Shehbaz, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) an...

The Karachi Gateway Terminal Ltd (KGTL) is planning up to $100 million in new investment within five years as Pakistan tries to cut freight costs and turn a cargo surge triggered by the Iran war into longer-term regional shipping gains. KGTL, backed by Abu Dhabi Ports Group, has already completed a $60m dredging project at Karachi Port and is expanding container and bulk-handling facilities, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Khurram Aziz Khan told Reuters in an interview. “We are targeting another $75 million to $100 million” within five years, Khan said, adding that the next phase would focus on expanding the container terminal, enhancing yard capacity, larger ship and yard cranes, dedicated bulk export infrastructure, silos, warehouses and automated conveying. Khurram Aziz Khan, CEO of Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) and Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML), speaks during a Reuters interview in Karachi on June 23, 2026. — Reuters KGTL is also exploring investment in rail freight, includ...

Following months of all-out conflict that began on February 28, 2026, the United States and Iran have transitioned to a de-escalation phase. On June 17, Presidents Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding to end the war, establishing a 60-day ceasefire extension to negotiate the final terms of a deal. Pakistan served as a key mediator throughout the process. Following the signing and despite a rocky start, the first round of high-level talks concluded in Bürgenstock, Switzerland on Monday, June 22, with the two sides agreeing on a roadmap towards a final deal within 60 days, along with communication lines to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and a deconfliction cell to end fighting in Lebanon. Mediators Pakistan and Qatar described the outcome as reflecting encouraging progress, with technical talks set to continue through the rest of the week at Bürgenstock. Most observers and experts describe the overall process as a considerable (if still fragile) breakthrough in one of...

NEW DELHI: Top Indian and Iranian security officials met in New Delhi on Monday, the foreign ministry said, as security chiefs gathered for a BRICS meeting that also included China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Iranian official Ghadir Nezamipour, a senior member of Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council, and discussed the “ongoing situation” in the Middle East, as well as India-Iran ties, the foreign ministry said. India has long maintained cordial ties with Iran but has had to carefully balance its relationship with the United States, especially during the recent weeks of conflict in the Middle East. India is heavily dependent on imported energy and its fuel supplies were hit hard during the US-Iran war. Russia, South Africa, Brazil round out summit presence Iran’s embassy in New Delhi said in a post on X that Nezamipour also met Wang, with whom he discussed the “implementation of the peace agreement” and expressed Tehran’s “appreciation for China’s politica...

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain this week as the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to end the war with Iran while Gulf countries remain uneasy about a proposed deal.

At the heart of the deal to end the Middle East war lies a $300 billion fund to rebuild and develop Iran – but so far it is unclear who will foot the bill. Here’s what we know about the fund and its potential backers. What’s in the text? The memorandum of understanding (MoU) says Washington “undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive mutually agreed plan with at least $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development” of Iran. “The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalised as part of a final deal within 60 days. All required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States of America,” it added. The text does not say who will contribute to the fund, which is only one of many economic incentives the Americans have dangled in front of Iran to encourage them to sign a definitive deal. The text also states the end of “all types of sanctions” on Iran upon the signing of a final deal, with Washingto...

Key developments: US-Iran agree to a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days; technical-level talks to continue for the rest of the week in Switzerland US-Iran agree to set up a communication line” to avoid incidents in the Strait of Hormuz; agree to a mechanism to end war in Lebanon Iran’s foreign minister says “tireless” efforts by Pakistan Qatar has delivered “major progress” to end Lebanon war; says Iran has secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some frozen assets and the launch of a reconstruction and development plan After hours-long negotiations in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, the United States and Iran agreed on a roadmap towards reaching a final peace deal in 60 days, a joint statement issued by mediators Pakistan and Qatar early on Monday said. The talks, which began on Sunday and stretched into Monday, were held under the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the two sides on Thursday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ha...

After hours-long negotiations in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, the US and Iran agreed on a roadmap towards reaching a final peace deal in 60 days, a joint statement issued by mediators Pakistan and Qatar said on Monday. The talks began on Sunday and stretched into Monday, being held under the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between the two sides on Thursday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also signed the breakthrough interim peace deal as a mediator, marking a significant step towards end a war that began in late February. The joint statement issued by Pakistan and Qatar after the second round of direct talks between the two sides — the first having been held in Islamabad in April — said the first session of high level talks under the framework of the Islamabad MoU had concluded with the participation of representatives from Iran, the US and the mediators. “The Lake Lucerne Summit was conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere. Encouraging progress has been ma...

Belgium were held to a scoreless draw by Iran in a frustrating encounter Sunday that saw the Red Devils reduced to 10 men and facing the possibility of group-stage elimination for a second straight World Cup. A star-studded though ageing lineup including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku was if anything fortunate to leave Los Angeles with a point, controlling possession yet ceding the game’s best chances to a resolute Iran team. Iran’s Mehdi Taremi had the ball in the net from a well-worked first-half free kick that was overturned for offside by VAR, while Nathan Ngoy was sent off after the break for hauling down the striker after a badly mis-hit backpass. The result means all three games so far in Group G have ended in draws. Stuck on two points, Belgium at least have the comfort of playing the tournament’s lowest-ranked team, New Zealand, in their final group game. Iran will also need at least a point against Egypt next Friday. Having been frustrated by visa issues as they travel from their base camp in Mex...

As a follow-up to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, technical-level talks between the United States and Iran will be held in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday.

Earlier this week, the US and Iran finally reached an agreement to stop the war. Pakistan, which played a central role in said agreement has been acknowledged and praised by the international community. But is this where it ends for the country? Or can the Shehbaz-led government convert the diplomatic visibility and influence into that rare opening that actually guarantees dividends? Before we answer that question, however, it is important to acknowledge that the agreement, brokered after weeks of intense diplomacy between the United States and Iran, is not a peace treaty. It is an interim framework that has merely paused a dangerous confrontation and created a 60-day negotiating window during which the most difficult questions, including sanctions relief, nuclear restrictions, and regional security arrangements, will have to be addressed. The fragility of the arrangement was evident even before its conclusion, with disagreements linked to Lebanon threatening to derail the process at a late stage, and Qatar e...

United States President Donald Trump has said that Pakistan “really helped” Washington with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran. He made the remarks during an interview with American news outlet Axios. During the interview, the US president was asked about which global leaders he “liked”. In addition to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump talked about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before mentioning Pakistan’s leadership. “In Pakistan, you have the field marshal, who is great. Munir, he’s great. And you have the prime minister, and they just get along great … He totally respects the prime minister. It’s a beautiful thing to see,” he said, talking about Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. “But they really helped us with this deal. They knew the Iranians, they knew the people and they were good,” he said. During the interview, Trump was also asked about the lessons he had learned about the “li...

United States Vice President JD Vance is poised to take on his biggest role yet on the international stage as President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator to end the three-month war with Iran, a moment ​that could shape Vance’s prospects as a White House successor. The two nations agreed to a provisional peace agreement on Wednesday that suspended hostilities but left core issues unresolved, deferring decisions on Iran’s ‌nuclear programme, its support for regional groups and the economically vital Strait of Hormuz to 60 days of talks. The discussions are a high-risk scenario for all sides in the conflict, the broader Middle East, and for Vance’s political ambitions. And the situation remains fluid: Vance cancelled a planned Thursday night flight to Switzerland for the start of talks, though the White House said the US delegation is “prepared to depart at the first available opportunity”. The fast-moving developments coincide with the publication of Vance’s book on his conversion to Catholicism, Communion, and a...

United States Vice President JD Vance on Thursday issued a rare rebuke of Israel during a White House press briefing, criticising Israeli lawmakers who had opposed the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran. Under the deal, the two sides have agreed on a framework to end the war, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a 60-day timeline for further talks. Vance’s comments come amid rising tensions between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance told reporters. “Anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation.” Talking about the MoU itself, the vice president noted that Iran will “have to perform” and honour its end of the deal. “If they don’t perform as we’ve said before, they don’t get any of the bene...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday told Iran’s President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian that the recently signed ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) between Washington and Tehran would “go a long way towards” rebuilding Iran. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier made the remarks during a phone call with the Iranian president that lasted over 30 minutes. This was the first contact between the two leaders since the signing of the historic Islamabad MoU today, after the 14-point agreement was reached earlier on Monday. Under the deal, the two sides have agreed on a framework to end the war, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a 60-day timeline for further talks. The prime minister congratulated Pezeshkian, the Iranian leadership and the “brotherly people of Iran on the signing of the historic peace deal”, said the PMO in an official press release. “The landmark deal, he said, would not only help restore peace in the region, but also go a long way in rebuilding the Iranian nation a...

Pakistan announced Thursday that a landmark memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran has entered into force with immediate effect, marking what Islamabad described as a major diplomatic breakthrough aimed at defusing regional tensions.