Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced Friday that the United States and Iran have agreed on the “final, agreed upon text” of a peace deal to end their war in the Middle East, marking what officials called the closest the nations have come to resolving the conflict.
“Peace has never been this close as it is now,” Sharif said in a post on X, adding that Pakistan’s mediators were working with both sides to finalize next steps. The announcement came after months of negotiations and escalating military tensions between the two countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed the optimism, saying an agreement “has never been closer” and that both sides were working toward signing an initial agreement declaring an end to the war “on all fronts, including Lebanon,” according to AP News. Araghchi told Iranian state TV that terms dealing with Iran’s nuclear program would be finalized in the 60 days after the initial agreement is signed, with the parties able to extend that period if needed.
The war between the United States and Iran launched on February 28, 2026, and has disrupted global energy supplies by virtually shutting down oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 7, but escalating attacks over recent days pushed the region closer to full-scale conflict.
According to RFE/RL, the emerging agreement includes provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies flowed before the war. Iran had effectively closed the strait after the conflict began, imposing a toll system that the United States and other nations said violated international law. Iranian officials have insisted on retaining some control over transit through the waterway.
A senior U.S. administration official told reporters that the agreement would begin the process of destroying or removing Tehran’s highly enriched uranium, according to AP News. The 60-day period after both sides sign the deal would be used to work out technical details for removing Iran’s enriched uranium, though the official did not specify who would take charge of the removal process.
Three regional officials told AP News they expect a signing ceremony for the agreement in the coming days after officials in Washington and Tehran approve it. The deal was largely brokered by Pakistan, led by its army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, with backing from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.
The apparent breakthrough comes despite public disputes over the deal’s contents. U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of misrepresenting the status and contents of negotiations, saying details leaked to the media “have NOTHING to do” with terms he said were already agreed to in writing. Iranian officials, however, appeared more cautious, with a Foreign Ministry spokesman saying key issues remained unresolved.
Israel, which is not a party to the negotiations, said it is not bound by any deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and Trump were in “full agreement” that Iran must not have nuclear weapons, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel could still act independently toward Iran and would not withdraw from zones it is occupying in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.
Sources
- AP News — Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of the final agreed-upon text, details on the 60-day nuclear negotiations period, provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, uranium removal process, and signing ceremony timeline.
- RFE/RL — Pakistani PM’s statement confirming the final text, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s comments on the agreement being close, and details on the Strait of Hormuz reopening.
- Reuters — Pakistan PM Sharif’s X post confirming the final text of the peace deal and next steps.
- The Hill — Pakistan’s announcement of the final agreed-upon text of the deal to end the Iran war.
