Sharif warns of 'spoilers' attempting to sabotage US-Iran deal

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has confirmed progress toward a US-Iran peace deal, warning of 'spoilers' seeking to derail diplomatic efforts. He stated that Iran's ballistic missiles were never on the negotiating table, a sentiment echoed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who asserted Iran would never compromise on its missile program. Pezeshkian suggested that without these defensive capabilities, Iran might have faced a fate similar to Gaza. President Donald Trump also conceded that demanding Iran relinquish its missiles was unrealistic, a shift from earlier US positions. The US has suspended sanctions against Iran following talks described as 'good progress' under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which aims for a final deal within 60 days. The MOU also addresses ending hostilities in Lebanon, though separate negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are ongoing due to significant gaps between the parties.