Focus shifts to technical-level talks

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ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has achieved what officials laud as a diplomatic breakthrough few believed possible, helping steer the United States and Iran away from a deepening crisis and laying down a structured framework for reconciliation and implementation of their emerging agreement.

With the accord now formally in effect and implementation underway following electronic signatures, the focus has shifted to the next phase of technical-level negotiations between the two sides.

The planned ceremony in Switzerland has been Pakistan pulls, rendered unnecessary, prompting the visiting Pakistani diplomatic mission to begin packing up and preparing its return from Geneva.

According to official sources, the development marks a major success for Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement, which is being credited with easing tensions, preventing escalation, and providing both parties with a workable roadmap for sustained engagement.

Sources said Pakistan’s role was not merely facilitative but central in shaping a unified framework for de-escalation and structured implementation.

The objective, they added, has now been achieved, with the process moving into detailed technical negotiations between US and Iranian experts.

These upcoming discussions are expected to proceed along separate but interconnected tracks, covering sanctions relief, maritime security arrangements, nuclear-related measures, and broader regional assurances aimed at stabilising the situation.

Officials said the structure crafted in Islamabad has provided a comprehensive mechanism for dispute management, now requiring sustained expert-level engagement to translate political understanding into operational outcomes.

The agreement’s electronic signing has also eliminated the need for a physical signing ceremony in Switzerland, leading to the cancellation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s planned visit to the country.

Diplomatic sources said the development underscored the effectiveness of the backchannel process, with Pakistan remaining a central actor in ensuring continuity during the transition from agreement to implementation.

According to sources, Pakistan “has done what few thought possible,” not only by helping contain the crisis but also by ensuring that both sides agreed to a coherent framework for moving forward.

The next phase, they added, will no longer be politically driven but instead handled through technical diplomatic channels, where detailed modalities of the memorandum of understanding will be finalised step by step.