PM Sharif, COAS Munir in Switzerland for Key Iran-US Talks

Updated: 1:04 PM PKT — June 21, 2026

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with a high-level delegation, has arrived in Zurich, Switzerland, to participate in the technical-level talks between Iran and the United States. The US and Iranian delegations, led by Vice President JD Vance and Baqer Qalibaf respectively, have also reached Switzerland for the negotiations in Bürgenstock.

A Foreign Office spokesperson stated that the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with participating delegations on the sidelines to help ensure the effective implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The spokesperson added that Pakistan will continue its cooperation and play a positive role for regional peace and stability. The Iranian delegation also includes National Security Council official Ali Bagheri, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, Kazem Gharibabadi, and Esmaeil Baghaei.

Updated: 11:31 AM PKT — June 21, 2026

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir have arrived in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, with their delegation for technical-level talks between Iran and the United States. The US delegation, including Vice President JD Vance, and the Iranian team, led by Baqer Qalibaf, have also reached the venue for the negotiations, which are a follow-up to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

On the sidelines of the main talks, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with other participating delegations. A Foreign Office spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan will continue its cooperation to implement the Iran-US understanding and play a positive role for regional peace and stability.

Updated: 10:59 AM PKT — June 21, 2026

The talks in Switzerland mark the first official round of dialogue since the United States and Iran electronically signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding days ago. The agreement, signed by US President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and mediated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the American blockade on Iranian ports.

However, the meeting was delayed after recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which prompted Iran to announce a renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz, complicating the diplomatic process. Despite the tensions, US Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism upon his arrival. Prime Minister Sharif is also scheduled to hold separate sideline meetings with delegations from Iran, Qatar, Switzerland, and the United States to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace.

Updated: 9:26 AM PKT — June 21, 2026

The high-level Iranian delegation, led by Baqer Qalibaf, has arrived in Switzerland for technical-level talks with the United States, with the Pakistani delegation also present to facilitate. The Iranian group, which includes the foreign minister and officials from the security, central bank, and oil sectors, has been codenamed “Minab 168.”

US Vice President JD Vance is leading the American side, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with Qatari representatives also participating. The negotiations aim to finalize the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a diplomatic achievement widely seen as a significant boost to Pakistan’s international standing as a mediator in complex global conflicts.