Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Monday that Pakistan will host the signing ceremony of a landmark agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending a conflict that has lasted for more than three months.
Addressing the National Assembly, the prime minister said the ceremony would take place in Geneva on June 19 and described it as a historic moment for peace and diplomacy.
The agreement provides a framework to end the war, lift the US blockade on Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
The conflict began in late February when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Throughout the crisis, Pakistan remained actively engaged in mediation efforts and hosted the first round of direct talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad in April.
Although those talks ended without a final agreement, they laid the foundation for continued negotiations. Pakistan later helped broker a ceasefire that remained in place despite ongoing tensions.
Shehbaz Sharif said both sides had now agreed to an immediate and permanent end to military operations, including in Lebanon.
Calling the development a victory for diplomacy, the prime minister said the world had witnessed a historic milestone after months of intensive efforts to bring the conflict to an end.
Referring to the upcoming ceremony, he said that while it would be held in Geneva, Pakistan would host the event. He congratulated the nation, parliament and the international community on the achievement.
The premier thanked former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his guidance throughout the process. He also acknowledged President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and leaders of other political parties for their support.
“This is not merely an agreement between two countries. It is a victory for peace, dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
Shehbaz praised the leadership of both the United States and Iran for showing patience and restraint during difficult negotiations. He said their commitment had helped create an opportunity for lasting peace.
The prime minister also thanked Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chinese President Xi Jinping for supporting the peace process.
He further expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom, European countries and other friendly nations that backed efforts to end the conflict.
Highlighting Pakistan’s role, Shehbaz said the country’s contribution to the peace process had earned international recognition and would be remembered in history.
He paid special tribute to Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying he worked tirelessly to help secure the agreement and prevent the negotiations from collapsing during difficult moments.
According to the prime minister, several stages of the talks appeared close to failure, but continued diplomatic engagement helped keep the process alive and ultimately led to the breakthrough.
He also praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and officials of the Foreign Office for their efforts.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the agreement as a major diplomatic achievement and commended the country’s civilian and military leadership for handling a highly sensitive international issue with wisdom and patience.
He said cooperation between Pakistan’s political and military leadership had played a crucial role in achieving the breakthrough and expressed hope that similar unity could help address other regional challenges, including the situation in Gaza.
PTI leader Sardar Latif Khosa also welcomed the development and thanked Iran for its position during the conflict. However, he cautioned that the agreement would only be fully secured once it is formally signed on Friday.
