Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir arrived in Zurich on Sunday (local time) to participate in high-level talks between the United States and Iran. The visit follows the signing of a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
The Pakistani delegation landed in the Swiss city to attend the technical discussions aimed at implementing the MoU, which seeks to de-escalate tensions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrival, stating that the delegation was on its way to the Burgenstock resort, where the talks are being hosted.
Delegation Composition and Swiss Welcome
In a post on X, the Pakistani Prime Minister's office announced, "Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Zurich along with his delegation." The post added that Sharif and Munir will participate in the high-level talks on the implementation of the Islamabad MoU. The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the Pakistani delegation, noting that Pakistan is one of the mediators of the MoU signed between the US and Iran.
Earlier, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir had arrived in Switzerland separately, according to Al Jazeera. The Swiss government also welcomed the arrival of the US delegation, with US Vice President JD Vance landing in Switzerland on Sunday for the talks, as reported by CNN. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were already in Switzerland ahead of the first round of discussions.
US and Iranian Delegations Arrive
US Vice President JD Vance, speaking to reporters before his departure, said he understood the Iranian delegation had already arrived in Switzerland and that talks could continue for "a couple of days." Vance outlined the US objectives: "I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue and make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're focused on." He also noted that the situation in Lebanon was improving, with tensions slowing down, and that the broader goal was to prevent escalation and ensure regional stability.
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker and Chief Negotiator MB Ghalibaf, arrived in Zurich on Saturday for the first round of technical talks. According to Iranian state media Press TV, the negotiation team is named "Minab 168" in honor of victims of the Minab school incident. The delegation left Tehran shortly after the Iranian armed forces announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon, which was an integral part of the MoU.
Mediators and MoU Signing
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, also arrived in Switzerland on Friday, as Qatar is considered a principal mediator facilitating contacts between Washington and Tehran. The MoU was virtually signed on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian. The agreement aims to end hostilities between the two countries, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch negotiations on a broader agreement, including talks on Iran's nuclear programme.
