With the digital signing of the memorandum of understanding known as the “Islamabad Accord” by Masoud Pezeshkian and Donald Trump, the implementation phase of the Iran-U.S. agreement to end the 40-day war has officially begun.
In the early hours of Thursday, June 18, the Iranian president and his American counterpart remotely signed the final version of the document within a short window of time. Simultaneously, the White House and the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) released images showing the two presidents signing paper copies of the agreement.
Pakistan, which served as a mediator in the negotiations alongside Qatar, announced that the agreement entered its implementation phase immediately after both sides signed it. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on X that Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz “without delay,” while the United States will lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
An official signing ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday in Switzerland, attended by Iranian, American, Pakistani, and Qatari officials, marking the beginning of technical negotiations regarding the remaining areas of dispute.
The White House released the 14-point text of the memorandum on Wednesday. The document outlines the general framework of the agreement but defers major issues, including the fate of Iran’s nuclear program, the management of its enriched uranium stockpiles, and the mechanism for lifting sanctions, to upcoming negotiations over the next 60 days.
