The United States and Iran reached a deal to end the U.S. military campaign in Iran and open the Strait of Hormuz, according to Pakistan’s prime minister, but the questions still remain on Iran’s nuclear program.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a mediator between the two parties, told media outlets over the weekend that both sides agreed to a framework for a peace deal that would end the conflict that began in February. Both sides reportedly signed the deal on Wednesday, according to AP News.
While a final, formal agreement has “yet to take shape,” according to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on X Monday, what “has been agreed upon is an important step toward stopping the war and beginning negotiations.”
“The memorandum of understanding that has been drafted is the result of months of dialogue and persistent follow-ups in this regard, and if all its provisions are properly implemented, it can be considered a document of pride for the country,” Pezeshkian said in a different post on X.
According to an analysis by Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council, the U.S.-Iran 14-point memorandum of understanding does establish a framework in the interim to de-escalate the conflict and further negotiations, but does not resolve questions about Iran’s nuclear program.
“It will most likely temporarily reduce violence, increase maritime traffic, and provide parties with more time to hammer out details,” the Atlantic Council said in its statement. “It does not appear to resolve the core issues surrounding the mechanics of the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian nuclear concessions, or Iranian financial incentives and sanctions relief.”
The statement did say the second phase of negotiations is supposed to address the nuclear issue.