Ghalibaf to lead Iran team in Geneva talks as Pakistan steers next phase of US-Iran diplomacy

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will head Tehran’s delegation in upcoming negotiations with the United States following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Geneva, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said.

Pakistan’s role as a key mediator in efforts to end months of conflict between the United States and Iran is set to continue as formal negotiations between Tehran and Washington are expected to begin following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Geneva later this week.

According to Al-Jazeera, it was indicated that the signing of the agreement would pave the way for a new phase of direct engagement between the two countries, with discussions set to begin shortly thereafter.

Addressing the National Assembly session on Monday, PM Shehbaz Sharif credited Field Marshal Asim Munir with helping steer the process through critical moments, saying he remained engaged around the clock to prevent the talks from collapsing. The prime minister described the understanding as the outcome of intensive diplomacy conducted under difficult circumstances and warned that the prospect of peace could have been lost had the negotiations stalled.

He also praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and their teams for their contributions, while acknowledging the support of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and China.

The agreement, announced on Monday, calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and is expected to be formally signed in Geneva, where Pakistan remains at the centre of diplomatic efforts to facilitate the next phase of US-Iran engagement.