BERN, JUN 23: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said the next phase of negotiations between the United States and Iran could prove more difficult, but expressed confidence that a final agreement remains within reach.
Speaking to an Arab news outlet, Dar said Iran would lower the level of its uranium enrichment rather than transfer its enriched uranium stockpiles abroad, noting that Washington had initially sought the removal of those reserves from the country.
He said three technical working groups would be established to address the nuclear file, frozen assets and issues relating to Lebanon as part of the broader negotiations.
Dar also revealed that vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz would be allowed to transit for 60 days without any additional tariffs under the understanding reached, paying only standard navigation or service charges.
According to the deputy prime minister, US President Donald Trump personally oversaw the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates supported the mediation efforts.
Describing the arrangement as positive, Dar said the agreement contained “no negative points” and voiced optimism that the ongoing diplomatic process would ultimately lead to a comprehensive settlement despite the challenges that may arise in the next stage.
‘No hidden deal or vested interest for Pakistan’
According to Dar, US President Donald Trump personally guided the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates supported the mediation efforts.
Rejecting speculation about any secret understanding, the deputy prime minister said there was no hidden deal behind the agreement and that all provisions were contained in the written Islamabad Accord.
He said Pakistan had no vested interest in the matter and had played a sincere mediatory role solely in the interest of the Muslim world and global peace. Pakistan took the initiative to bring the parties to the negotiating table and, through sustained diplomatic efforts, first helped secure a ceasefire between them, he added.
Dar said US and Iranian delegations held six rounds of talks spanning 21 hours in Islamabad, marking the first direct negotiations between the two countries in 47 years. He said US Vice President JD Vance, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and the Iranian foreign minister represented their respective sides in the talks.
Representing Pakistan, Dar said he, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir and the national security adviser participated as mediators and witnesses. He added that Islamabad kept regional countries informed throughout the diplomatic process.
According to Dar, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, the European Union, Canada, Australia, Japan and China also backed Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate the talks. He said the final signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding took place on June 18.
Dar further said the R4 Forum, comprising Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye, had now been established. He described it as a shared platform representing around half a billion people rather than a political bloc, adding that it connected the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and Africa.
The United States and Iran made “encouraging progress” at the first round of talks aimed at reaching a final peace deal, mediators said on Monday, although tension persisted over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.
A joint statement from mediating nations Pakistan and Qatar said the US and Iran agreed to a roadmap towards a final deal within 60 days. Technical talks will continue for the rest of the week in the Qatari-owned Swiss mountain resort of Buergenstock, according to the statement, which was released by the Qatari foreign ministry.
They also agreed on a mechanism to end fighting in Lebanon between US ally Israel and Iran-aligned Hezbollah, and opened a communications line to help ensure safe passage for commercial ships through the strait, a vital global oil supply route.
The parties agreed to a mechanism to end the fighting in Lebanon and opened a communications line to help ensure safe passages for commercial ships through the contested strait, the statement said.
US Vice President JD Vance said that a first round of US-Iran talks in Switzerland had laid a good foundation for reaching a final deal on ending the Middle East war.
Pakistan, he said, would continue to play an honest and sincere role in promoting dialogue and diplomacy aimed at achieving a peaceful and lasting resolution.
PM Shehbaz Sharif commended the leadership of both the United States and Iran for their continued commitment to constructive engagement.
He also thanked friendly and brotherly countries for their support in advancing what he described as a historic diplomatic process.
The prime minister expressed special gratitude to Qatar for its critical role in creating conditions that enabled the negotiations to move forward.
He also thanked the Swiss government for facilitating and hosting the talks.
