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Informist, Thursday, Jun. 18, 2026

NEW DELHI – The peace document signed between the US and Iran, which is being called Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as Pakistan mediated the peace deal, shows the hostile neighbouring country's rising stature and is a "severe setback" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign relations posturing, the Indian National Congress said Thursday.

Questioning the "substance and style" of Modi's foreign policy, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh pointed out that it is the same Pakistan that had been diplomatically isolated by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. "Pakistan is now even more deeply embedded in the geopolitical and security architecture of West Asia which has grave and great implications for India," Jairam Ramesh said.

President Trump Wednesday signed the memorandum of understanding for a roadmap to peace with Iran at the Palace of Versailles in France, where French President Emmanuel Macron had invited Trump for a dinner.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially announced the coming into effect of the deal early Thursday morning. "I am honoured to announce that the historic 'Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding' has been electronically signed today between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran," Sharif posted on X.

"The MoU shall enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US will immediately lift the naval blockade," Sharif added.

However, there will be no physical signing ceremony in Switzerland on Friday, as had been planned earlier, because the document has already been signed electronically, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted as saying by media. But the negotiating teams would still gather in Geneva on Friday for the follow-up negotiations. End

Reported by Asim Khan

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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