Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Saturday that the U.S. and Iran are “closer to a peace deal than ever before,” with the finalization of the memorandum of understanding expected in the next 24 hours.
Shehbaz added that Islamabad is “preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately thereafter, followed by technical level talks next week.”
We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 13, 2026
We would like to thank United States of…
The prime minister’s post was shared by U.S. President Donald Trump on Truth Social, without commenting on its content.
An agreement between Washington and Tehran has been in the works for several weeks, despite the resumption of skirmishes earlier in the week.
However, previous statements by officials that an agreement to end the conflict was imminent turned out to be premature.
In a statement apparently responding to Shehbaz’s comments, Iran’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that the signing of the memorandum will not take place on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Although the sealing of the agreement in the coming days could not be ruled out, caution was needed regarding any comment on the signing date due to the hesitation of the other side, the report cited Baghaei as adding.
Details of the memorandum have not been made public, although reports say that it lays down the framework for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with discussions on Tehran’s nuclear project to take place at a later stage of negotiations.
Vice President JD Vance denied Iranian media reports that the United States had agreed to immediately unlock billions of dollars for Iran if it signed an agreement.
“First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” he wrote. “The deal is structured to ensure that the U.S. and its allies’ concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region.”
Shehbaz likewise said there was an “incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal.”
Pakistan has served as a mediator between Iran and the United States, hosting talks in April.
Earlier on Saturday, Iran fired multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Central Command said on X.
All drones were intercepted, leaving the traffic flow through the waterway unaffected, CENTCOM added.
Iran launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded. The international trade corridor remains open for…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 13, 2026
Netanyahu: Iran will not have nuclear weapons
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday again vowed that Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons on his watch, as Iranian media reported that Tehran will insist on its right to enrich uranium in emerging talks with the United States.
“As long as I am the prime minister of Israel, Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, adding that he and U.S. President Donald Trump “are in full agreement on this issue.”
