Iran’s Pezeshkian in Pakistan: Missile Program ‘Non-Negotiable’ as Fragile US-Iran Peace Deal Faces Early Tests

Ballistic Missile Program: ‘Non-Negotiable’

Pezeshkian was emphatic that Iran’s ballistic missile program would not be on the table. Speaking at the joint press conference, he said: “If the missiles we have for our defence did not exist, Israel and the United States would have turned Iran into another Gaza” . He and PM Shehbaz Sharif both confirmed that the missile program was never part of the Islamabad MoU . Sharif added that there should be no double standards: “Some countries can have ballistic missiles, but Iran cannot?” .

Pakistan’s Role in Brokering the Deal

Pakistan served as the key mediator between Tehran and Washington. PM Shehbaz Sharif personally facilitated talks in Switzerland . The MoU is formally named the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in recognition of Pakistan’s role . Pezeshkian praised Islamabad’s sincerity and consistency, and Sharif vowed that Pakistan would continue mediating until “everlasting peace” is achieved .

The 14-Point Islamabad MoU (Signed June 17, 2026)

The MoU was signed electronically by Presidents Trump and Pezeshkian on June 17, 2026, in Versailles, France . It establishes a 60-day interim framework toward a permanent peace treaty . Key provisions include:

• Ceasefire: Immediate and permanent cessation of military operations between the US and Iran and their allied fronts, including in Lebanon .
• Strait of Hormuz: Immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial and energy shipping, removing the most acute war risk to global oil markets .
• Oil export waivers: The US Treasury issued a 60-day waiver authorizing the “production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil,” effectively suspending sanctions on Iran’s oil exports for the interim period .
• Nuclear commitment: Iran reaffirmed its commitment never to produce or acquire nuclear weapons .
• Uranium stockpile: Iran agreed to reduce its stockpile of highly enriched uranium .
• Sovereignty: Both parties committed to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity .

Disputes Over UN Nuclear Inspections

This became a major flashpoint immediately after the MoU was signed. The US position (stated by VP JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff) was that Iran had agreed to allow IAEA inspectors full access, including to nuclear sites bombed by the US and Israel . However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran would not allow inspectors to visit sites that had been bombed, citing security concerns . By June 23, this was an open dispute clouding the entire peace process, with President Trump insisting on social media that Iran had consented to long-term inspections .

60-Day Negotiation Window for a Permanent Treaty

The MoU sets a 60-day timeline (starting from June 17) for negotiators to convert the interim framework into a final, permanent peace treaty . Technical teams from both sides began working immediately in Switzerland . Key topics for the final deal include sanctions relief, nuclear program monitoring, and normalization . Trump has kept the option to resume military action available if the talks fail .

Mounting Challenges: Lebanon Violence, Spoilers, Verification Gaps

As of June 23-24, several challenges threatened the process:

• Renewed violence in Lebanon: Fighting in Lebanon broke out again, with reports of Israeli strikes on Beirut. The April 2026 ceasefire had collapsed within hours due to similar Israeli strikes . The MoU covers “allied fronts including Lebanon,” but implementation remained fragile .
• Spoilers: Discrepancies emerged between US and Iranian accounts of what had been agreed . The nuclear inspections dispute itself is a sign that hardliners on both sides may try to derail the process.
• Verification gaps: With Iran refusing inspectors access to bombed sites, the US lacks independent verification of Iran’s nuclear status at those locations . Long-term independent monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program is a stated US goal but has not yet been achieved .
• 60-day clock: The tight deadline leaves little room for delays. Analysts have described the framework as “optics of peace first, details later,” warning that unresolved disputes over inspections, missile program exclusion, and regional violence could unravel the process before a final treaty is reached .

President Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan underscored both the diplomatic breakthrough and the precarious state of the deal. With a 60-day clock ticking and fundamental disagreements already in the open, the path to a permanent peace remains uncertain.