Iran's Pezeshkian Flies to Pakistan as US-Iran Teams Race to Finalize War-Ending Deal

Pakistan steps into the breach

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian touched down in Islamabad on Tuesday for his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28 — a visit framed as a gesture of gratitude toward the country that has brokered the fragile diplomacynpr +1. His arrival followed a marathon session at the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock, where Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf led their respective delegations through roughly 18 hours of talks before technical teams continued negotiationsapnews +1. Pakistan, along with Qatar, has served as the principal mediator throughout the conflict and co-hosted the Lake Lucerne Summitnbcnews.

In Islamabad, Pezeshkian was set to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with a joint news conference planned afterwardnpr. Before departing, he warned on X that "the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations," signaling frustration with Trump's off-script comments — including a Truth Social post on Sunday threatening renewed strikes that briefly prompted Iran to threaten a walkoutnpr +1.

A 60-day roadmap, with disputed edges

Vance left Switzerland saying both sides had "laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal" and described a roadmap toward a permanent agreement within 60 days, as required by the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed by both presidents on June 17apnews +1. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan released a joint statement noting a "constructive atmosphere" and said the talks produced working groups covering sanctions relief, nuclear issues, reconstruction, and monitoringaljazeera +1. Iran's deputy foreign minister said Tuesday the technical phase had "concluded successfully," with implementation mechanisms agreedaljazeera.

A separate deal to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets was also announced, with Trump insisting the funds would be used exclusively to buy American agricultural goods — corn, soybeans, and wheataljazeera +1. The U.S. Treasury simultaneously issued a 60-day general licence allowing Iranian oil sales through August 21, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent linked to Tehran's commitments on IAEA inspections and Hormuz passageapnews.

Disputed commitments and a Lebanon wild card

Iran's foreign ministry quickly contradicted Vance's claim that Tehran had agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into bombed nuclear sites, saying no "new commitments" had been made and that any inspections would follow existing parliamentary and security-council proceduresnbcnews. The gap between the two sides' public characterisations underscored how much ground remains before a final deal is in hand.

On Lebanon, both sides agreed to a "de-confliction cell" — involving the US, Iran, Lebanon, and mediating countries — to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollahnpr +1. A ceasefire that took hold Saturday was holding as of Tuesday morning. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted his military retained "full freedom of action" in the north, and Trump offered only a vague assurance the situation would "get solved"npr.