Historic US-Iran agreement reached in Zurich; $6 billion to be released to Iran
Iran won’t develop a nuclear bomb, which Pezeshkian said Iran accepted. Key attendees include US VP JD Vance, Iran’s Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif
Zurich (The Uttam Hindu): The decades-old enmity between the US and Iran is now moving towards a historic peace agreement. High-level talks are underway between the two countries in Zurich, Switzerland, to restore peace in West Asia. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has made several important revelations regarding this preliminary agreement. He has clarified that Iran's $6 billion frozen in Qatar will be returned to them under this deal. The Iranian President claimed that all the terms of the agreement are in their favor and that US President Donald Trump has accepted the demands, which he had earlier talked about imposing sanctions, as the rights of the Iranian people.
'Netanyahu will be most unhappy with this deal'
Iranian President Pezeshkian, taking direct aim at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Netanyahu would be the most uneasy about the talks taking place in Zurich. On the issue of nuclear weapons, he said that America's only condition was that Iran not develop a nuclear bomb. Pezeshkian added that their martyred leader also wanted Iran not to develop a nuclear bomb, and that Iran had unhesitatingly signed on to the US's written assurances.
A gathering of dignitaries in Zurich, Pakistan becomes mediator
Several top leaders, including US Vice President JD Vance, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, are participating in this summit. Trump's special envoy for the US, Steve Witkoff, and advisor Jared Kushner are also key participants in the talks. Pakistan is playing a key role as a mediator and guarantor in this agreement. The Pakistani Foreign Office has also clarified that Islamabad will continue to play its role in facilitating this process.
The Strait of Hormuz is in crisis again
It's worth noting that last week, Trump and Pezeshkian signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a 60-day negotiation process to restore peace in West Asia. Following this, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for 20 percent of the world's energy supplies, was reopened. However, the technical phase of the talks has been delayed due to new clashes in Lebanon between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, and Iran has claimed it re-closed the Strait of Hormuz as a precautionary measure due to Israeli attacks.