Shehbaz says US-Iran deal in effect immediately, Hormuz to reopen

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed electronically by the United States and Iran has entered into force immediately.

Under the deal, Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States will lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

What did Pakistan's PM say about the US-Iran deal?

Sharif said the "historic Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding" was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and endorsed by him as mediator. He confirmed the agreement took effect immediately, with Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the United States lifting its naval blockade as first steps.

In a post on X, Sharif wrote that the memorandum had been signed by the presidents of both countries and endorsed by him in his role as mediator. He said the agreement would enter into force right away, with each side moving on its committed actions without delay.

Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter to the deal?

The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. It is vital to global energy supplies, and disruptions there during the conflict had unsettled international shipping and oil markets.

Sharif said Pakistan, with support from Qatar, would host an official ceremony in Switzerland on Friday. The event is meant to commemorate the agreement and launch technical-level talks between the two sides.

When and where was the agreement signed?

According to earlier statements, Trump and Pezeshkian signed the memorandum Wednesday. Trump signed the document during a candlelit dinner at the Palace of Versailles, following a Group of Seven summit in France, according to a video posted by a Trump aide. "Just signed it," Trump told reporters as he left the palace.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, quoted by state news agency IRNA, said the document had been finalized with the signatures of both presidents. Sharif described the agreement as a shared commitment by both countries to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

Who was involved in brokering the agreement?

In his statement, Sharif praised Trump and members of the U.S. negotiating team, including Vice President JD Vance, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He also commended Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, President Pezeshkian and the Iranian officials involved in the talks.

Sharif acknowledged the roles played by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt in facilitating the agreement. He also praised Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, for efforts he said helped enable the breakthrough.

What led to the US-Iran conflict?

The conflict began on Feb. 28 and involved attacks by the United States and Israel, met by retaliatory missile and drone strikes from Iran. The fighting disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Friday's ceremony in Switzerland is expected to formally mark the agreement and open the door to technical-level discussions between the two countries.