- Prime Minister Shebaz said the discussions took place in a constructive atmosphere.
- The PM leaves Switzerland after completing his official visit.
- “Very good foundations” laid for a successful final agreement: JD Vance.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday (tomorrow) following talks between Tehran and Washington in Switzerland, which took place under the mediation of Islamabad, the official Iranian news agency. IRNA » said quoting the president’s office.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “his mediation between Iran and the United States” is among the objectives of the visit, said Habibollah Abbasi, director of public relations at the president’s office.
The United States and Iran made “encouraging progress” in the first round of negotiations aimed at reaching a final peace deal, mediators said Monday, even as tensions persisted over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.
In a joint statement by the mediating countries, Pakistan and Qatar, the United States and Iran agreed on a road map towards a final deal within 60 days. Technical negotiations will continue for the rest of the week in the Swiss-Qatari mountain resort of Buergenstock, according to the statement released by the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
They also agreed on a mechanism to end fighting in Lebanon between U.S. ally Israel and Iran-aligned Hezbollah and opened a line of communications to help ensure the safe passage of commercial ships through the strait, a vital route for global oil supplies.
The parties agreed on a mechanism to end the fighting in Lebanon and opened a line of communication to ensure safe passage of commercial ships through the disputed strait, the statement said.
“Great progress”
Tehran has agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back to the country, US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday, after a first round of negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
“The Iranians have agreed to invite the IAEA inspectors back into their country,” Vance told reporters at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, where his talks with Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf opened on Sunday.
“This is a major milestone for the American people and the first step toward permanent denuclearization or a permanent end to Iran’s nuclear weapons program,” he said.
Vance said the first round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland laid a good foundation for reaching a final agreement on ending the Middle East war.
“We have laid a very good foundation for a successful final agreement,” Vance told reporters at the resort town of Burgenstock in central Switzerland following negotiations that began Sunday and continued late into the night.
“The final deal is the house. We laid the foundation; we didn’t build the house, but we laid the foundation of a good place for the American people.
“It is important for all of us to appreciate all that has been done, but honestly there is still much to be done as we continue to make progress in the nuclear and economic negotiations, as we continue to clear the straits and ensure that the flow of traffic continues to resume.
“Much progress but still more work to do – and that’s exactly what we are determined to do.”
“Constructive atmosphere”
“The discussions took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere and resulted in encouraging progress,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X, adding that the first round of negotiations had “concluded successfully.”
In a statement, the Prime Minister said the discussions took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere and resulted in encouraging progress.
Key outcomes included agreement on a roadmap to a final agreement within 60 days, the creation of a high-level committee to provide political oversight, and the launch of new discussions at the technical level.
Pakistan, he said, will continue to play an honest and sincere role in promoting dialogue and diplomacy aimed at achieving a peaceful and lasting resolution.
Prime Minister Shehbaz commended the leaders of the United States and Iran for their continued commitment to constructive engagement.
He also thanked friendly and brotherly countries for their support in moving forward with what he described as a historic diplomatic process.
The Prime Minister expressed his particular gratitude to Qatar for its essential role in creating the conditions for the negotiations to move forward.
He also thanked the Swiss government for facilitating and hosting the talks.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting diplomatic initiatives that contribute to regional and international peace and stability.
The Prime Minister also left for Pakistan after concluding his visit to Switzerland.
At Zurich airport, senior Swiss officials and Pakistan Ambassador to Switzerland Marghoob Saleem Butt bid farewell to the Prime Minister, the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release.
— With additional input from AFP and Reuters
