• Shehbaz hopes accord will pave way for lasting peace, states Pakistan preparing for ‘ electronic signing ’ • Trump claims signing scheduled for today; threatens Iran; official confirms Washington to take part in de-mining • Iran states arrangement close but rules out signing today; negotiators not going to Islamabad, Geneva soon ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a historic milestone for Middle East peace, Islamabad is preparing for an electronic signing by the US and Iran on a framework for a peace accord, to be followed by technical-level talks next week, albeit with varying dates for the remote signing as Trump insisted that it would be inked on Sunday while Iranian authorities denied it would be as early. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a post on X on Saturday, announced that the agreement was expected to be “ finalised in the next 24 hours ”. The announcement is expected to have broad implications in the days ahead.

Background

This story does not exist in isolation — the background provides crucial perspective.

The agreement was “ closer…than ever before ”, he wrote, hoping that the deal would lay a “ strong foundation for lasting peace ”.

Shortly afterwards, US President Donald Trump reposted PM Shehbaz ’ s tweet, while Iran ruled out the ‘ Islamabad MoU ’ would be signed on Sunday.

Further developments have shed additional light on the matter. in a post on Truth Social, President Trump insisted that the deal was “ scheduled to get authorized ” on Sunday, which would open the Hormuz.

Analysis

The depth of the response underscores how closely this situation is being watched.

Iran ruled out signing the deal on Sunday, but said it was close.

In a related development, the exact timing of the signing of the Islamabad memorandum will not be on Sunday, Iran ’ s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.

At the same time, the Iranian spokesperson also indicated that they would not be travelling to Geneva or Islamabad – the possible venues — in the “ next day or two ” to sign an agreement.

National Impact

Beyond the immediate headlines, this development could reshape how the issue is handled.

De-mining of Hormuz Reuters quoted a senior US official saying that the US would participate in the de-mining of the Strait of Hormuz once the accord was sealed.

In a related development, as both sides gave final touches to a peace agreement, violence in the Strait of Hormuz persisted.

As the story continues to develop, the US forces shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, a day earlier, Mr Araghchi said Iran would not impose tolls on Hormuz but would collect service fees, saying that this would be discussed.

Observers have also noted that “ They welcomed the US-Iran negotiations in their final stage, with the electronic signing ceremony scheduled for tomo

What Happens Next

What this development ultimately means remains to be seen. But its significance — both in the immediate term and over the longer horizon — is already being felt by those involved and those watching from the outside.