OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
7:51 AM – Saturday, June 13, 2026
The United States and Iran could have a finalized peace deal in the “next 24 hours,” according to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been mediating negotiations for several weeks.
Early on Saturday, the prime minister wrote on X, “We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week.”
He continued, “We would like to thank United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran for their ongoing commitment during the negotiations, and we extend our sincere appreciation to our brothers in the region for their support. We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace.”
Shehbaz helped to negotiate a ceasefire agreement in early April, after President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iranian infrastructure to the point that its “whole civilization” would die out, setting a deadline for just after Easter.
The ceasefire was intended to last two weeks, while both countries hashed out a more permanent agreement, though talks far surpassed that timeframe. Trump cited concerns over the leadership in Iran, writing on Truth Social that there was “tremendous infighting,” making diplomatic discussions difficult.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that the framework of the deal that they had tentatively agreed to showed that his country was victorious in the conflict.
“Iran is the winner of the war with the U.S.,” he said on state television.
Hours after Araqchi’s statement, U.S. forces shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones that targeted the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil route that Tehran has held captive for weeks.
“Iran launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded. The international trade corridor remains open for transit,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Friday evening.
The Trump administration maintains committed to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for oil exports and removing Iran’s ability to create a nuclear weapon, two of Trump’s non-negotiable terms of any potential deal.
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