ISLAMABAD: Iran and the United States have reached a landmark preliminary agreement to permanently cease all military operations against each other and their allies, according to the text of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mediated by Pakistan.
The breakthrough framework document — dubbed the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” — comes ahead of a formal signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Geneva on Friday. The Pakistan-facilitated agreement formally came into force on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the accord. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also signed the MoU electronically on Thursday in his capacity as mediator.
Under the goodwill pact, both Washington and Tehran have committed to a strict framework of non-aggression, sanctions relief, nuclear oversight, and a $300 billion reconstruction plan in Iran. The text outlines a 60-day window to finalise a binding peace treaty, which will ultimately be ratified by a mandatory UN Security Council resolution.
The MoU includes an immediate and permanent cessation of all military actions across all fronts, including an explicit halt to operations in Lebanon. Both sides are legally bound to abstain from future warfare or threats against one another. The agreement guarantees Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while compelling both nations to respect each other’s domestic sovereignty.
On maritime issues, the US will begin dismantling its naval blockade on Iran within 30 days, while Iran will guarantee safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and waive all tolls for 60 days. Iran has 30 days to clear naval mines from shipping lanes, and the US will withdraw forces from territories adjacent to Iran upon final treaty execution.
The US will immediately issue waivers on sanctions targeting Iranian oil and financial transactions. A phased lifting of all UN, EU, and US sanctions will follow. The US and its regional partners will design a $300 billion joint investment project for Iran’s reconstruction.
Iran explicitly confirms it will not acquire nuclear weapons. Both parties have agreed to dispose of Iran’s enriched fissile material under IAEA monitoring. A joint mechanism will oversee implementation of the MoU’s transitional clauses.
