Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had been talking up a looming peace deal between Iran and the United States — until Iran itself stepped in to deflate the claim. Writing on the social media platform X, Shehbaz had said the agreement would be wrapped up within the next 24 hours and could even be signed electronically. Tehran, however, brushed the entire assertion aside, stating plainly that no signing would take place on Sunday (14 June).
Iran Refuses to Commit to a Fixed Date
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, set the record straight by saying that while the possibility of the Islamabad memorandum being signed in the coming days could not be ruled out, it would be premature to put any firm date on it. In other words, Iran acknowledged the deal might happen but flatly declined to endorse Shehbaz's one-day timeline. The remark immediately cast doubt on the Pakistani PM's claim that the peace pact would be inked within 24 hours, leaving the two countries' official statements visibly at odds with each other.
The possibility of the Islamabad memorandum being signed cannot be denied, but because of hesitation from the other side, caution must be exercised before making any statement about the date of signing the deal: Esmaeil Baghaei
What Shehbaz Had Claimed
Before Iran's clarification, Shehbaz Sharif had posted on X with striking confidence. He wrote, 'We are very close to the peace deal. It is expected to be finalized in the next 24 hours, immediately after which Pakistan is preparing to sign the peace deal electronically. This will be followed by technical-level talks next week.' The message made clear that Pakistan wanted to position itself as a central player in the agreement, going so far as to outline the electronic-signing process.
He Had Even Thanked Both Sides
In the same message, Shehbaz extended his gratitude to both parties. He added, 'We would like to thank the United States and Iran for maintaining their consistent commitment throughout the talks, and we sincerely express our gratitude to our brothers in this region for their cooperation. We are fully confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace.' Iran's response, however, undercut all that enthusiasm, since Tehran was simply not willing to confirm the timeline Pakistan appeared so sure about.
