USA and Iran close to historic peace agreement: Signing possible within 24 hours

(Patria) - The United States and Iran have reportedly reached a framework agreement on a peace deal after more than three months of conflict, with the signing of the initial document possible within the next 24 hours, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated.

Pakistan, which is mediating the negotiations, says it is also preparing for an electronic signing of the agreement, after which technical talks would resume as early as next week. Sharif posted on X that the parties are “closer to a peace agreement than ever,” and that this deal could lay the foundation for long-term peace.

According to a senior US official, the text of the initial agreement has already been finalized and Washington expects its formal confirmation in the very near future.

The conflict reportedly began in late February with joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran, after which Tehran responded with strikes on American targets in the Gulf, while groups linked to Iran, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, also joined the conflict.

The war is said to have claimed thousands of lives, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and led to a sharp rise in global energy prices.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran considers the agreement close to finalization, but that open issues remain. He claims Iran emerged from the conflict strengthened, while Tehran insists on not accepting the complete dismantling of its nuclear program.

Drafts of the agreement, according to sources, envision a possible easing of sanctions and the release of part of Iran's frozen assets in exchange for certain concessions, including issues related to the naval blockade and the opening of the strait. At the same time, the US side disputes some of these claims and emphasizes that the negotiations remain in a sensitive phase.