On 17 June, US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian electronically signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding or a draft agreement, outlining the terms for bringing the war to a final end. Notably, the draft agreement is based on the Iranian-proposed negotiating framework of a phased, incremental approach starting with the consolidation of a regionwide ceasefire, including Israel and Lebanon, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran and oil sanctions waivers, while providing an extendable 60-day window to reach a final settlement on the complex issues of Iran’s nuclear programme and the removal of US sanctions on Iran.

As Israel renewed airstrikes and rejected the withdrawal of its forces from southern Lebanon, Tehran threatened to walk away from the process, pushing Washington to pressure Israel. The high-level talks at Doha-owned Lake Lucerne resort in Switzerland, led by US Vice President JD Vance and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, mediated by Prime Ministers of Pakistan and Qatar established a High-Level Committee for political oversight of the mediation and implementation of the MoU and the final agreement. They also established four working groups for technical talks on nuclear issues, sanctions, Reconstruction and Economic Development and monitoring and dispute resolution.