ISLAMABAD, JUN 12: The text for a peace deal between the US and Iran has been reached, and Pakistan is now working with both sides to finalize the next steps, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced in a post on X/Twitter on Friday.
The prime minister claimed that an “incessant misinformation campaign” attempted to sabotage the peace deal between the two countries.
With intense mediation efforts by Pakistan, however, “Peace has never been this close as it is now,” he said.
Defense Minister urges US to ensure deal prevents Iran from obtaining nuclear weapon
Defense Minister Israel Katz had said in a post on X/Twitter earlier on Friday that Israel had expectations for US President Donald Trump to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“We expect him [Trump] to uphold this principle and other principles in the field of missiles and terrorist proxies,” said Katz, who argued that the US president is moving towards making an agreement that has both American and Israeli interests in mind.
Katz claimed that together with the US, Israel has “dealt Iran severe blows that have set back its capabilities for many years.”
He also stated that Israel will not withdraw from the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, citing that continual defense of borders and citizens is a “central lesson from the events of October 7.”
Memorandum has ‘never been closer’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran “has never been closer.”
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“The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer,” he wrote in a post on X/Twitter on Friday. “Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content.”
Araghchi said that speculation about the memorandum’s details should be avoided, adding that they will be shared with the public “in due course.”
US President Donald Trump later reposted Araghchi’s post.
US Vice President JD Vance said in a post on X/Twitter later on Friday that there is a lot of “fake information” surrounding the memorandum. He clarified that no funds are being given to Iran for “simply signing a deal or attending a meeting.”
“The deal is structured to ensure that the US 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,” he said.
He also referenced two “bizarre” things that have been reported recently: “First, people who (rightly) said Donald Trump was a historic president a month ago now criticizing a deal based on unconfirmed media reports. Second, people who say you can’t trust a word said by the IRGC, who apparently believe anonymously sourced social media posts.”
“The president is going to get us a good outcome, one way or the other,” he concluded.
