ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday Washington and Tehran are expected to finalize their peace deal in the coming hours, while Iranian officials maintain that no agreement will be signed on Sunday despite acknowledging that negotiations have made significant progress.
"We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week," Sharif said in a post on X.
"We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace," he added.
His remarks come as US and Iranian officials have increasingly signaled that they are nearing completion of an Islamabad-mediated Memorandum of Understanding intended to pave the way for a permanent peace agreement following months of conflict.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the proposed memorandum "has never been closer" to being finalized, while urging caution against speculation until negotiations are completed.
US President Donald Trump shares Sharif’s post on his Truth Social.
However, Tehran pushed back against suggestions that a deal is imminent.
"The Islamabad memorandum, which is currently being pursued, focuses on ending the war, and at this stage it has been decided that the nuclear issue will not be discussed," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei was quoted by Iranian media as saying on Saturday.
"We should wait for the exact timing of the signing of the memorandum. Although it will not take place tomorrow, the possibility that it could happen in the coming days cannot be ruled out. However, due to the other side's instability, we must be cautious in making any statements regarding this process," he added.
Baghaei's comments echoed Tehran's earlier position that the current phase of negotiations is centered on ending hostilities, with more contentious issues, including Iran's nuclear program, expected to be addressed in subsequent talks.
The latest developments come after Trump rejected reports published by Iranian media regarding the contents of the emerging agreement, insisting that Tehran's characterization of the deal was inaccurate.
"The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing," Trump said on Friday. "What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth."
Despite the conflicting public statements, officials on both sides have indicated that substantial progress has been made in recent days. Reuters reported that the tentative memorandum is expected to include measures aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, though disagreements remain over other aspects of the broader settlement.
Pakistan has played a central mediating role in the negotiations, with Sharif repeatedly expressing optimism that a final agreement could soon be reached. However, Iranian officials continue to stress that no definitive timeline has been agreed upon and that the process remains subject to last-minute changes.
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