Pakistan to host signing of US-Iran peace agreement in Geneva on June 19, says PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced that Pakistan will host the historic signing ceremony of the United States-Iran peace agreement in Geneva on June 19, describing the framework accord as a monumental milestone for global peace and a triumph of diplomacy over war.

Addressing the National Assembly, hours after he and US President Donald Trump announced that the framework agreement had been reached, the prime minister said the world had witnessed a historic victory for peace after months of conflict.

“Today, the world has witnessed that the pursuit of peace has achieved a great victory, and the flames of war have begun to subside. This is a historic moment that historians will record in golden letters,” he told the House.

The agreement marks the most significant breakthrough since the conflict began following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Under the framework, Iran and the United States have agreed to immediately and permanently end military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Describing the development as a divine blessing after three months and sixteen days of hardship, the prime minister said, “Following the dark night of war, the sun of peace has finally risen.”

“This is not just an agreement between two nations, but a victory for peace, dialogue and diplomacy over the devastation of war,” he added.

Read More: US, Iran agree framework to end conflict as Strait of Hormuz set to reopen

Shehbaz congratulated the Pakistani nation and the international community on the breakthrough, saying the honour bestowed upon Pakistan was a historic achievement.

He also thanked Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif for his guidance throughout the peace process and congratulated President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and leaders of all political parties.

The prime minister congratulated US President Donald Trump, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and members of both negotiating teams for demonstrating wisdom, patience and restraint during the difficult negotiations.

He paid tribute to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his constructive role in facilitating the talks and thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for their leadership and cooperation.

Shehbaz also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing him as Pakistan’s close friend and acknowledging China’s contribution to advancing the peace process in close consultation with Islamabad.

The prime minister reserved special praise for Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, saying he had worked tirelessly to help end the conflict.

“He devoted day and night to extinguishing the flames of war and establishing peace,” the prime minister said, adding that he personally witnessed several difficult phases during the negotiations when the entire process appeared close to collapse.

He said Field Marshal Munir remained steadfast throughout the talks and that his continuous efforts ultimately helped pave the way for the ceasefire.

“If the journey of sincerity, steadfastness and wisdom had not continued, the dream of peace in the world might have shattered,” he said, warning that the conflict could otherwise have caused even greater destruction.

The prime minister also congratulated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for his role in steering the negotiations and praised Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, senior Foreign Office officials and other institutions for their contributions to the diplomatic effort.

Welcoming the presence of the Iranian ambassador in the National Assembly, Shehbaz said the conflict had severely affected the global economy and also placed significant pressure on Pakistan’s economy.

He said the Pakistani people had shown patience throughout the crisis and that the government had taken timely decisions to shield citizens from the worst effects of inflation.

The prime minister thanked the country’s federal and provincial leadership as well as the people of Pakistan, expressing confidence that the economic benefits of renewed global stability following the peace agreement would ultimately be passed on to every Pakistani.