ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed progress toward a US-Iran agreement with his Swiss counterpart on Saturday after Switzerland confirmed it had offered to host a possible signing ceremony, amid growing indications that negotiations are nearing a conclusion.
Dar spoke with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis as diplomatic efforts intensified following Pakistan’s announcement a day earlier that a final text of a proposed peace deal between Washington and Tehran had been agreed.
“DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 spoke today with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis @IgnazioCassis,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X.
“Welcoming the encouraging progress toward an understanding between the United States and Iran, they expressed hope that ongoing efforts would soon contribute to peace and stability in the region,” it added. “Both sides agreed to remain in close contact.”
The call came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan, which has been mediating between the United States and Iran, was working with both governments to finalize the next steps after a final text of the proposed agreement had been reached.
“Amid ongoing intense mediation efforts by Pakistan, we are fully aware of incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal,” Sharif wrote in a social media post on Friday.
“Setting aside the noise, we can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps.”
Sharif’s comments were echoed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said the proposed “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” had “never been closer,” though senior US and Iranian officials continued to publicly dispute aspects of the agreement.
The proposed accord follows months of conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran and a series of Pakistan-mediated communications between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending hostilities and addressing disputes over Iran’s nuclear program and regional security.
Switzerland, which represents US interests in Iran in the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran, said on Friday it had been in contact with both Washington and Tehran and had proposed Switzerland as the venue for a possible signing ceremony should the parties agree to it.
However, Araghchi was quoted by AFP as saying that any draft agreement with the US would be signed remotely after finalization, potentially within days, suggesting discussions over the format of any signing remain unresolved.
A senior US official also expressed optimism about the prospects of an agreement, saying there was an 80-85 percent chance the parties would sign a deal in the coming days, according to AFP.
The optimism has been tempered by continuing disagreements over the contents of the proposed accord. US President Donald Trump on Friday accused Iran of negotiating in bad faith and misrepresenting the agreement, while Iranian officials said some issues remained unresolved and cautioned against premature conclusions.
Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in efforts to end the conflict, hosting direct contacts between US and Iranian officials and facilitating communication between the two sides during recent military exchanges.
Media reports citing diplomatic and other official sources have speculated that Dar or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could travel to Geneva for any signing ceremony, though there has been no official confirmation from Islamabad.
