"Peace has never been so close as now": Pakistan confirms that the US and Iran have reached an agreement

WashingtonDespite the cross-attacks of recent days, the United States and Iran have already agreed "the text of the peace agreement", as reported on social media by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who is acting as mediator between the two parties. However, for the moment the parties have not yet given their final approval.

"Amidst the intense mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan, we are fully aware of the incessant disinformation campaign driven by those who wish to sabotage the peace agreement. Setting aside the noise, we can confirm that a definitive and consensual text of the peace agreement has been reached and that Pakistan is now working closely with both parties to complete the final steps. Peace has never been closer than now," Sharif wrote in a message on X.

The American president, Donald Trump, has shared the tweet of the Pakistani leader, implying that he approves of the information contained in the publication. However, both the United States and Iran warn that the specific terms of the agreement have not yet been finalized and, at the same time, point out that the media is publishing incorrect information about the content of the negotiations.

"I am seeing a lot of fake news about a potential deal to reopen the strait and end Iran's nuclear weapons program," wrote U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on X. "First, the Iranians will not receive any money, and no funds are being released simply to sign a deal or attend a meeting. The deal is structured to ensure that the concerns of the United States and its allies are a priority and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran fulfills its obligations, both the country and the region as a whole will benefit economically. This deal has the potential to transform the region and lead to lasting peace," he added.

This Thursday, Trump had already suggested that the agreement was close and could be signed "perhaps over the weekend, in Europe," although he stated that if it happened, he would not attend. This Sunday, the president turns 80 and is expected to celebrate it at the White House by attending several mixed martial arts events that will take place in the ring that has been under construction for weeks in the south garden of the residence.

In his statements, the president admitted that there were still some loose ends to resolve, but assured that the documents were in "pretty good shape" and that "they should be able to achieve it in the coming days." Trump also said that if the deal were closed, his vice president, J.D. Vance; his son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and his special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, would attend. It remains to be seen whether the American president will not back down this time and whether his words correspond to reality: according to a CNN count, Trump has announced on 39 occasions that Washington was finalizing an agreement with Iran, but no pact has ever been formalized.

Hormuz and the naval blockade

For now, neither of the two countries has confirmed the agreement, nor have they detailed what exactly the agreed text includes, but sources from both sides already present it as a victory for their country, awaiting the final approval of their leaders. For its part, Pakistan insists on asking the media not to speculate on the content of the agreement until it is definitively concluded.

However, the Reuters agency has published, citing sources from the North American administration, that the memorandum of understanding includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the North American blockade of Iranian ports. They also assure that it incorporates a roadmap for dismantling Iran's nuclear program and destroying the country's existing enriched uranium, which would subsequently be transferred out of Iran, as well as carrying out inspections to guarantee long-term compliance with the agreement. Only then, according to the same sources, would the United States lift economic sanctions against Iran.

On the other hand, the terms reported by the Iranian news agency Mehr are more favorable to Tehran. In addition to the aforementioned conditions, it assures that the United States would make considerable concessions, such as committing to withdraw its forces from the vicinity of Iran and presenting a reconstruction plan for the damages caused to the Iranian economy. "The United States and its allies must present plans for the reconstruction of Iran worth at least 300 billion dollars," states the Mehr agency.

So far, Tehran and Washington have maintained disagreements on a central issue since the beginning of the conflict: the control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran resists ceding control of this maritime route, which it wants to manage jointly with Oman. Another point of friction has been how to manage Iran's nuclear program, although in recent weeks everything indicates that this issue had been left to be negotiated later in separate talks.

Likewise, war reparations, the removal of naval blockades, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of frozen Iranian assets have also been causes of dispute between Iranian and American negotiators, and have prevented reaching an agreement on several occasions during recent months. In this regard, it remains to be seen whether the leaked draft will eventually lead to a lasting peace pact or if it will only serve to open a new negotiation window between the delegations.

Attacks and recriminations until the last moment

Amidst the negotiations, the parties have exchanged bombings and accusations in recent days. Trump reproached Tehran for negotiating in bad faith and assured that the terms of the agreement leaked by Iranian media "have nothing to do with the conditions that were agreed in writing". "Very dishonest people to deal with. With them there is nothing that resembles a good faith negotiation. Incredible!", he added. And he regained his threatening tone: "They had better get their act together, and fast!"

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has not referred to the alleged agreement and has only insisted that the main objective is to prevent Iran from possessing atomic weapons. "As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. President Trump and I are in complete agreement on this issue," he stated in a statement, in which he also attributed credit for the efforts made: "For more than 30 years I have been at the forefront of the international fight against Iran's nuclear program. If it hadn't been for this struggle, Iran would already have atomic bombs to destroy Israel".

In recent weeks, Trump has shown increasing impatience to end a conflict that, when he announced it, he promised would last four weeks. With the midterm elections approaching – scheduled for November – the war has become a political headache for the White House, as polls show Trump's approval ratings plummeting due to voter discontent over rising prices, especially for fuel.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, American forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones after Tehran attempted to attack commercial ships transiting this maritime route. And early Friday, the Iranian army detained a tanker sailing through the strait, where, according to Iranian media reports, several explosions were heard.