Pakistan has played a key role as mediator between the USA and Iran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has officially confirmed that a text has been agreed upon to facilitate a peace agreement to be detailed over the next weeks. A signing ceremony is scheduled to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday this week. World leaders, including the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, have expressed deep appreciation for Pakistan’s role and that of other countries. Pakistan has been able to help in this important process for global peace due to its close ties with both the USA and Iran. More work remains and will be carried out during the 60-day ceasefire, and it is the responsibility of the two main parties to finalise the agreement with the other parties in the region, Israel, Lebanon, the Hezbollah organisation, the Persian Gulf states, and other countries. The electronic signing of the text for the agreement took place last Sunday, on President Trump’s 80th birthday, no less.

It is important for the peace processes and results that Pakistan has been able to play its role as a mediator, and that may be a role that will last long since the USA-Iran conflict is not likely to be over any time soon, but will need the building of trust and cooperation over years and decades. It is said that parts of the current agreement are similar to what President Barack Obama entered into with Iran in 2015 during his presidential term, 2009-2017, an agreement from which the USA withdrew in 2018 in Trump’s first presidential term, 2017-2021.

The role of the Lebanese Hezbollah organisation, with a military wing termed terrorist, supported by Iran, is a main reason for the conflict with Israel continuing, and Israel, on its side, has been unwilling to agree on peace with Lebanon. Recently, Israel has........

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