Iran says deal with US will not take place on June 14

Iran's Foreign Ministry said Saturday that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States would not be signed on Sunday.

The statement came after Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had declared finalization was "likely expected in the next 24 hours," with Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warning that "caution" was needed due to "hesitation" from the American side.

Iran: Signing not on Sunday, but 'coming days cannot be ruled out'

Baghaei said in remarks carried by state-run Tasnim News Agency, "We have to wait and see about the exact time of signing; although it will not be tomorrow. The possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out."

He added that due to "hesitation" on the part of the American side, any comment on the signing date required caution.

Baghaei also said the Islamabad MoU "focuses on ending the war," and that at this stage "it has been decided that there will be no discussion on the nuclear issue", a formulation that directly contradicts U.S. accounts of the deal, which have emphasized Iran's nuclear commitments as a central element of the agreement.

People go about their daily lives as usual in Tehran, Iran, on June 8, 2026. (AA Photo)

Sharif had said the deal was 'closer than ever'

Earlier Saturday, Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif posted on X that Iran and the United States were "closer to a peace deal than ever before," with finalization "likely expected in the next 24 hours."

He said Pakistan was preparing for the immediate electronic signing of the agreement, followed by technical-level talks next week.

"We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace," Sharif said.

Pakistan has played the primary mediating role in the negotiations throughout the conflict, facilitating contacts and bridging differences between Washington and Tehran since the April 8 ceasefire.

June 13, 2026 05:28 PM GMT+03:00