Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his gratitude to Pakistan on Friday for its proactive and effective role in facilitating an agreement with the United States. He emphasized Tehran’s commitment to strengthening ties with Muslim and neighboring countries across various sectors.
The president conveyed these sentiments in a post on his official X account following separate phone calls with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He also acknowledged Malaysia’s humanitarian stance alongside Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts.
In a significant development, Iran’s Tasnim news agency interpreted Pezeshkian’s comments as an implicit confirmation that a Pakistan-mediated understanding has been reached between Tehran and Washington. Pakistan has played a pivotal role as a mediator throughout and after the six-week conflict that began in late February.
The conflict erupted on February 28 after coordinated strikes by the US and Israel targeted Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate by attacking US military bases in the region and closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Islamabad successfully brokered a two-week ceasefire starting April 8 and subsequently hosted direct peace talks between the two parties from April 11 to 12.
Although those direct negotiations ended without resolution, Pakistan persisted in its mediation efforts, facilitating communication between Tehran and Washington to achieve a lasting ceasefire. President Pezeshkian’s remarks suggest that these efforts have culminated in a crucial agreement to extend the ceasefire and lift restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
This announcement followed a series of retaliatory attacks between the US and Iran on Thursday. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump reportedly shared a draft peace proposal with allies, including Israel. This proposal closely mirrors versions discussed recently across the Middle East.
Under the draft agreement, commercial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would resume, the US blockade on Iranian ports would be lifted, and Iran would regain access to up to $12 billion in frozen assets. The plan aims to restore shipping activity to pre-conflict levels within 30 days, while formal negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program would commence, expected to last up to 60 days.
These talks would address Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, impose a temporary halt on further enrichment, and involve monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Additionally, Iran would formally renounce any pursuit of nuclear weapons, marking a significant step toward regional stability.
