WASHINGTON\/ ISLAMABAD
\nPresident Donald Trump launched a sharp defense of the Iran nuclear deal, dismissing its critics as \u201cfools\u201d and labeling them \u201cjealous, bad people, or stupid.\u201d Speaking to reporters, Trump argued that the agreement was a strategic success, insisting that opposition stemmed from political bias rather than substantive concerns. His comments come amid renewed debate in Washington over U.S. policy toward Tehran and the broader Middle East.
\nCritics of the deal have long argued that it provides Iran with economic relief without sufficient guarantees on nuclear restrictions. Supporters counter that the agreement curbs Iran\u2019s nuclear ambitions and reduces the risk of conflict. Trump\u2019s remarks underscore the deep divisions in U.S. foreign policy circles, where the Iran deal remains one of the most polarizing issues.
\nMeanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced that the historic \u2018Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding\u2019 has been electronically signed between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.The Memorandum has been signed by the presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by him as the mediator, the prime minister wrote on his X timeline, three days after he announced that the deal has been reached between the two countries.
\n\u201cI am honoured to announce that the historic \u2018Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding\u2019 has been electronically signed today between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Memorandum has been signed by honourable Presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by me as the mediator,\u201d he announced.
\nHe said that signing of this agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrated the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict. Prime Minister Shehbaz said that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Iran would instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States (US) would immediately lift the naval blockade.
\nPakistan\u2019s mediation played a pivotal role in the recent agreement between the US and Iran. The country successfully facilitated diplomatic engagement between the two sides leading to this breakthrough understanding. Pakistan would host the formal signing ceremony of the Memorandum on June 19 in Switzerland.
\nThe prime minister offered heartfelt congratulations and sincere appreciation to the US President Donald J. Trump, whose steadfast commitment to diplomacy and preference for peaceful resolution had once again helped end a conflict that could have led to devastating consequences for the region and beyond. He also commended the dedication and tireless efforts of the US negotiating team, including J.D. Vance, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, for their invaluable contributions to this achievement.
\nPrime Minister Shehbaz expressed profound respect and appreciation to Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, and Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, for their wisdom, foresight and statesmanship in embracing the cause of peace, besides recognising the efforts of the Iranian negotiating team, including Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi and Eskandar Momeni, whose patience, perseverance and commitment to constructive engagement were instrumental in bringing this agreement to fruition.
\nThe prime minister also highly commended the leadership of the State of Qatar for helping reach this point and appreciated the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye and the Arab Republic of Egypt for their indispensable role and invaluable contributions.
\nHe made a special mention of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, whose tireless efforts, selfless dedication and instrumental role were critical in facilitating this breakthrough and advancing the cause of peace and regional stability. He expressed the hope that the MoU would serve as an enduring foundation for greater understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity for the complete region. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON\/ ISLAMABAD President Donald Trump launched a sharp defense of the Iran nuclear deal, dismissing its critics as \u201cfools\u201d and labeling them \u201cjealous, bad people, or stupid.\u201d Speaking to reporters, Trump argued that the agreement was a strategic success, insisting that opposition stemmed from political bias rather than substantive concerns. His comments come amid renewed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":539734,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-551865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n