‘Islamabad Declaration’: US-Iran deal likely to be signed in Geneva
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
A signing ceremony for the proposed memorandum of understanding being negotiated between the United States and Iran will take place in Geneva, Switzerland. According to media reports citing sources, the agreement has been informally named the “Islamabad Declaration” in acknowledgement of Pakistan for its role in helping facilitate diplomatic engagement between both sides. However, officials have not reached a final decision, and one Iranian source said Vienna is still being considered as another possible location. Diplomatic insiders said Geneva currently remains the preferred venue, particularly because it is close to where Donald Trump and an American delegation are expected to travel for the upcoming G7 Summit in France. Meanwhile, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported on Friday that a draft agreement with the US has been prepared, outlining a roadmap aimed at ending conflict across multiple fronts, including in Lebanon. According to the report, the memorandum would call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in all conflict zones, including Lebanon, while also setting a 60-day negotiation period focused on resolving disputes surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme and securing the removal of both primary and secondary US sanctions. The proposed deal would also allow Iran access to $24 billion in previously frozen funds during the two-month negotiation period, with nearly half of that amount expected to be released before formal talks begin. State-run Iranian media outlet Islamic Republic News Agency reported that negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme would begin after the signing of an agreement aimed at ending the conflict, though the current memorandum itself does not contain any direct settlement on nuclear-related issues. The report further stated that the future management of the Strait of Hormuz would be addressed later as a regional issue through consultations and joint decisions involving Iran and Oman. Under the proposed framework, neither the US nor Iran ha