ISLAMABAD, JUN 21: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir met the United States delegation led by Vice President JD Vance ahead of much-anticipated talks between Washington and Tehran.
The US-Iran technical-level talks, made possible after both sides signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mediated by Pakistan, have been dubbed the ‘Lake Lucerne Summit’ and will continue for four days.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, both leaders will take part in discussions scheduled for June 21, being held as a follow-up to the agreement previously signed by Tehran and Washington.
In a subsequent statement, the Foreign Office said high-level delegations from Iran, Qatar and the United States would also participate in the talks, describing them as the first formal engagement since the signing of the Islamabad MoU on June 17.
The FO said Pakistan would continue supporting the understandings reached between Tehran and Washington, adding that its facilitative role reflected a principled, balanced and constructive approach throughout the crisis.
Islamabad’s efforts included hosting earlier rounds of US-Iran talks and maintaining diplomatic contacts that ultimately led to the memorandum.
On the sidelines of the talks, PM Shehbaz is expected to hold bilateral meetings with delegations from Iran, Qatar, Switzerland and the US to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue and lasting regional peace.
The Switzerland meeting comes days after the United States and Iran electronically signed the Islamabad MoU aimed at ending the Middle East conflict.
US President Donald Trump had announced the agreement, saying it included provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US blockade on Iranian ports.
Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the accord on behalf of their respective countries, while PM Shehbaz later signed the Islamabad MoU as mediator, formally sealing the agreement.
As diplomatic efforts gathered pace, US Vice President JD Vance travelled to Switzerland for talks with Iran, expressing hope for progress on both the nuclear issue and the Lebanon ceasefire.
“Despite the headlines, things are actually getting better there,” Vance told reporters before departure. “It’s going to be something we’re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s delegation, named “Minab 168” and led by Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived in Zurich, according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.
The talks follow renewed tensions that have complicated the fragile US-Iran agreement.
Earlier, Iran announced it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, a move that came as negotiators prepared to travel to Switzerland for discussions aimed at preserving momentum in the peace process.
The follow-up talks had originally been scheduled for Friday but were postponed after Israel launched deadly strikes in Lebanon, prompting fresh uncertainty over efforts to end the wider Middle East conflict.
