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1st round of us–Iran quadrIpartIte talks end as medIators push ImplementatIon of mou
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Monday, 22 June, 2026 | 6 Muharram, 1448
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QATAR AND PAKISTAN MEDIATE OPENING SESSION IN BÜRGENSTOCK AMID 80-MINUTE ROUND JD VANCE PRAISES PAKISTAN’S ROLE AND SIGNALS PROGRESS TOWARD REGIONAL CEASEFIRE
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 88 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PM SHEHBAZ CALLS TALKS A ‘STEP TOWARD PEACE, PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY’
IRAN INSISTS TALKS FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION, FROZEN ASSETS AND OIL PROVISIONS
PM, Field Marshal Munir join high-stakes US-Iran talks as diplomacy gains momentum BÜRGENSTOCK, SWITZERLAND SALEEM JADOON
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BÜRGENSTOCK, SWITZERLAND AGENCIES / STAFF REPORT
HE first round of quadripartite talks between Iran and the United States, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators, concluded on Sunday in the Swiss resort town of Bürgenstock, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, citing a source familiar with the Iranian negotiating team. The source said the initial round of Swiss-hosted negotiations had been completed and was suspended after approximately 80 minutes of discussions to allow
delegations to hold internal consultations. No timeline was immediately announced for the next session. Earlier in the day, Qatar announced the formal start of US–Iran negotiations in Switzerland, with Qatari and Pakistani mediators participating in discussions on the implementation of an interim agreement between the two sides. PM SHEHBAZ HOPES FOR ‘PEACE, PROGRESS’ AT QUAD TALKS Quadripartite negotiations between the United States and Iran began in Bürgenstock with Qatar and Pakistan playing a mediatory role, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ex-
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Sunday joined senior United States, Iranian and Qatari leaders in Bürgenstock ahead of high-level peace talks aimed at advancing the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with participants expressing optimism that the diplomatic process could pave the way for lasting regional stability and global peace. Talking to the media before the start of technical-level talks between Iran and the United States, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday announced Advocate Amjad Hussain as the party’s nominee for the post of Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister, a day after the party said it would form the regional government with the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). According to an official statement shared on X, Bilawal decided to nominate the PPP’s GilgitBaltistan president for the top slot in the region. The statement said the PPP chairman also spoke to Hussain by telephone and issued directions
regarding the formation of the government as well as the implementation of the constitutional and economic rights of the people. Hussain has served as PPP Gilgit-Baltistan president since 2016 and recently won a seat from GBA-I in the general elections. He is described as a prominent lawyer with a strong grasp of the region’s legal and constitutional matters. His previous public offices include membership of the GilgitBaltistan Assembly from 2020 to 2025 and the Gilgit-Baltistan Council from 2009 to 2014. In the 2020 Gilgit-Baltistan general elections, he contested from two constituencies — GBA-I Gilgit and GBA-IV Nagar — while the PPP was in op-
position at the federal level. He won both seats but later vacated the one from Nagar. Hussain also served as opposition leader in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly from 2020 to 2023 during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led government of Khalid Khurshid. He was the mover of the GilgitBaltistan Land Reforms Act, passed by the assembly in 2025, which sought to make locals landowners. His political campaign centred on Haq-e-Hukumat (Right to Rule) and Haq-e-Malkiat (Right to Ownership), a movement he began in 2016 and which later became part of the PPP’s election manifesto. He has also been an advocate of provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan.
R-4 nations back swift US–Iran peace deal at Cairo talks, urge durable regional stability ISLAMABAD/CAIRO STAFF REPORT
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye on Sunday welcomed the diplomatic momentum surrounding a United States-Iran peace process, urging a “swift” conclusion of negotiations for a “lasting, verifiable and mutually acceptable” settlement to outstanding issues, as the foreign ministers of the four countries met in Cairo to discuss regional developments and the evolving US-Iran dialogue. According to the Foreign Office (FO), the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt held talks in Cairo focused on implementation of the US-Iran understanding aimed at de-escalating tensions that have threatened regional stability, energy markets, international maritime routes, global supply chains and broader international trade. The FO said the ministers stressed that building on the positive diplomatic momentum, priority should be given to achieving a swift and successful conclusion of the next phase of negotiations, which seeks a durable, verifiable and mutually acceptable resolution of remaining issues. US and Iranian negotiators were meanwhile engaged in talks in Switzerland on Sunday on their interim arrangement to move toward
a permanent settlement, with Pakistani and Qatari mediators also present for technical-level discussions on the conflict, which began in late February. Ahead of the talks, reports indicated that Tehran had closed the Strait of Hormuz amid continued Is-
raeli military operations in Lebanon. The interim understanding between Washington and Tehran is aimed at halting hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, and reportedly includes provisions on the unfreezing of Iranian assets.
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Dar joins R-4 diplomacy push in Cairo, meets Egyptian President with regional FMs CAIRO/ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty, on Sunday jointly called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo. During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister conveyed warm greetings and best wishes of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to President El-Sisi, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding, brotherly and multifaceted relations with Egypt.
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pressed hope that the process would deliver “peace, progress and prosperity globally.” Speaking at the venue of the Quad meeting, the prime minister said the gathering marked “a significant step toward peace,
Bilawal names Advocate Amjad Hussain for GB chief minister’s post STAFF REPORT
US Vice President JD Vance and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani emphasized that their collaborative diplomatic efforts marked the beginning of an important process aimed at building a sustainable future and achieving a broader framework for regional and global stability. In his remarks, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed hope that the discussions between the United States and Iran would yield positive results and culminate in a document that would advance the cause of peace, progress and prosperity around the world, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
He noted with appreciation the positive momentum generated through recent high-level exchanges between Pakistan and Egypt, which have helped deepen bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. The Deputy Prime Minister also welcomed President El-Sisi’s acceptance of the Prime Minister’s invitation to visit Pakistan and expressed hope that reciprocal leadership visits between the two countries would take place at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity. The meeting provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on regional and international developments, particularly the evolving situation in the Middle East, with emphasis on advancing peace, stability, dialogue and diplomatic engagement across the region.
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US, IRAN, QATAR AND PAKISTAN ENGAGE IN STRUCTURED DIALOGUE ON MOU ROLLOUT
NEXT SESSION TIMING UNCLEAR AS DELEGATIONS HOLD INTERNAL CONSULTATIONS
Trump threatens to 'hit Iran very hard again' if Lebanon 'proxies' not stopped WASHINGTON AGENCIES
US President Donald Trump has threatened to “hit Iran very hard again” if it fails to restrain what he described as its “proxies” in Lebanon from creating unrest. “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump said in a post on the social media platform Truth Social. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” In a separate interview with Fox News, President Trump also suggested that the United States may “take over” the Strait of Hormuz in the future “if they have to and collect tolls”. Trump described the idea as Washington acting as the “guardian angel” of the Strait
progress and prosperity.” He expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his leadership and acknowledged the roles of Vice President JD Vance, the Prime Minister of Qatar, and
of Hormuz and the broader Middle East, according to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, who spoke to the president. Yingst reported that Trump said this would involve the US “taking 20 per cent of the oil that passes through the strait”. The remarks come at a time when US–Iran talks are underway in Switzerland in what has been described as a “constructive atmosphere,” according to Al Jazeera. Reporting from Switzerland, journalist Bin Javaid said the process was being “choreographed into multiple sessions, themed around the major sticking points,” adding that the first session focused on Lebanon, followed by discussions on the Strait of Hormuz and a third on Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in facilitating the process, while expressing hope for productive outcomes for regional and global stability.
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