Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Wednesday called on the United States and Iran to honour their commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, hours after President Donald Trump declared the interim agreement “over”. The statement, issued in Islamabad, described the 14-point accord as “an enduring foundation for understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity” and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint. The Pakistani intervention, which also reaffirmed the country’s readiness to continue its mediation role, came amid a new spike in regional tensions and mutual recriminations between Washington and Tehran.

Viewed from Washington, the memorandum’s viability had already been severely eroded. President Trump, speaking to reporters in Ankara, said the deal was finished and accused Iran of being “behind the problems in the region”. He nonetheless ruled out an immediate return to military confrontation, describing Tehran’s current leadership as “more rational” and defending his administration’s previous strategy. The White House has not issued a formal notice of withdrawal from the understanding, which was reached last month to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but US officials have privately signalled that Iranian non-compliance on related fronts — particularly concerning Lebanon — rendered the arrangement untenable.

From Tehran’s perspective, as reflected in Iranian media, the memorandum’s fate has been uncertain since its inception. Reports in the Iranian press assert that the United States and Israel initiated military strikes on Iran on 9 Esfand (28 February) while indirect talks were underway, and that Iran’s subsequent Operation True Promise 4 targeted American bases and what it termed “occupied territories” in self-defence. Iranian outlets maintain that Washington repeatedly violated the ceasefire, especially regarding Lebanon and attacks on southern Iranian cities, and characterise Trump’s declaration as a unilateral move that disregards the original terms. The Iranian government has not yet issued an official response to the latest US statements.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, through a spokesman, called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory steps, and take immediate measures to de-escalate. The UN has consistently backed the Islamabad process as the primary diplomatic channel for ending the hostilities. With the memorandum’s status now openly contested by Washington, the immediate next steps remain unclear. Pakistan’s foreign ministry indicated it stands ready to continue its facilitator role, but no new talks have been scheduled. The dossier now hinges on whether the two capitals can move beyond public repudiation and alleged violations to re-establish a minimum framework for communication.