Ultimately the US and Iran electronically signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)', thanks to Pakistan-led mediation efforts also involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Oman and Qatar, and supported by China and Russia. The MoU will be formally signed on June 19, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. Pakistan is hosting the event. Though the draft of MoU is not known, expectations are that it would lead to an overarching 'Agreement', covering issues like Iran's nuclear programme, missile capability, its proxies and a durable peace – from the US standpoint; and unfreezing of Iranian assets, lifting of sanctions, war reparations, ending war in Lebanon, UN guarantees, etc – from the Iranian perspective.

President Trump was cajoled into this war by PM Netanyahu, and the US Jewish lobbies, as a nuclear Iran is perceived as an existential threat to Tel Aviv. Throughout the process, there were repeated attempts by Israel, through overt and covert machinations, to scuttle the deal, including strong opinion/media manipulation internationally and within Pakistan. President Trump – realising Iranian tenacity, America's own military limitations, the catastrophic economic effects of Hormuz closure, the onset of mid-term elections and growing domestic unpopularity, and the futility of military conflict – badly wanted an off-ramp from the Israeli cobweb. American deep state and saner elements within the Jewish caucus realised Israel under BB was taking them down with it. Trump's profanity-laced characterisation of PM Netanyahu is testament to his frustration with Tel Aviv. A prolonged conflict is also likely to create more cracks in the US-Israel alliance.

Despite the growing unpopularity of the clerical regime in........

© The Express Tribune