UNCERTAINTY surrounding the ultimate fate of the peace process is now almost over as mediator Pakistan and the warring parties – the United States and Iran – confirmed finalization of a preliminary agreement to end the war, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Credit surely goes to the Pakistani leadership for successful conclusion of the diplomatic offensive aimed at prevention of hostilities and finding a peaceful solution as the deal remained elusive for weeks in the face of extreme positions adopted by the two sides. It was, indeed, a historic opportunity for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to announce that a peace deal between the United States and Iran has been achieved and that they have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.
There are still pitfalls as is evident from the immediate reaction of Israel but sincere implementation of the understanding reached by the US and Iran and the plan to sort out ticklish issues including nuclear programme of Iran within the next sixty days could lay a solid foundation for sustainable peace in the region with attending economic and strategic benefits for the parties as well as countries of the region and beyond. Pakistani leaders especially Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir demonstrated their mediation skill during intensive behind-the-scenes diplomacy and hopefully the sincere efforts of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, CDF and Foreign Office will take the process to the logical conclusion in weeks to come. It is encouraging to observe a marked reduction in contradictory statements and postures of the two sides as is underlined by the statements released vis-à-vis the preliminary deal. US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran had been completed and announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, authorizing the immediate removal of a United States naval blockade. The US President also took exception to the Israeli attack on Beirut at a time when Washington and Tehran were close to signing a peace deal.
Trump said a deal that could bring peace to the region, including Lebanon, was within reach and warned against actions that could derail the process. The delicacy of the situation can be judged by the fact that Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf questioned the United States’ willingness and ability to fulfill its commitments after the Israeli military reportedly carried out strikes in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district. However, in an encouraging development, the secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced that war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, will end permanently starting on Monday night. About the future roadmap, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said a more expansive agreement will be negotiated during a 60-day ceasefire period, including sanctions relief for Iran.
The entire world is appreciative of the breakthrough and the hard work done by Pakistan in this regard and rightly so as the development will positively impact regional and global trade and economy. All sides must listen to the sincere advice of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who underlined the need to avoid rhetoric, provocations, and actions that could escalate tensions in the period leading up to the signing of the agreement, and to remain vigilant against possible sabotage. Conflicting reports are circulating vis-à-vis the mode of signing the agreement – whether it would be in-person signing in Geneva or digital signing but remarks of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif allude to the possibility of physical signing in Geneva on Friday. He asserted that with the agreement now in place, mediators would facilitate a series of meetings this week. “These pre-implementation discussions will lay the foundation for the technical talks and the official signing ceremony,” he added. The world has a reason to rejoice as oil prices fell 4.6% immediately on reports of a deal but it is a big question mark whether this trend will translate into relief for Pakistani consumers or not because of tax-centred policies of the Government.
