Pakistan delegation reaches Switzerland ahead of US-Iran peace signing

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani delegation has arrived in Switzerland ahead of Friday’s formal signing ceremony for the United States-Iran peace agreement, which is scheduled to take place at the Bürgenstock Resort rather than in Geneva.

A Foreign Office team led by the foreign secretary has already reached Switzerland to complete arrangements for the event. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar are expected to attend the ceremony and were due to arrive later in the day. Security measures have been tightened at the venue for the signing.

Venue shifted to Bürgenstock Resort

The ceremony is set to be held at the Bürgenstock Resort in the canton of Nidwalden, above Lake Lucerne. The resort, described as a longstanding symbol of Swiss hospitality since 1873, covers 148 acres and includes 30 buildings. These include three hotels, 12 restaurants and private residences.

The Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa is a glass-fronted property where guests have access to spa facilities. The wider resort also has five swimming pools, including an infinity pool overlooking Lake Lucerne, along with private luxury villas designed for privacy. Its dining options include Asian, Persian and Middle Eastern cuisines.

Other facilities at the resort include a nine-hole golf course, a private cinema, a conference centre that can accommodate 600 guests and Europe’s highest outdoor lift. One of the distinctive features of the property is that it is car-free, with access provided through the Bürgenstock funicular.

History of hosting major international figures and talks

The resort has previously hosted a number of prominent international figures, including Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti, who lived there for seven years. Former German chancellor Konrad Adenauer, India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, former US president Jimmy Carter and former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger have also been among its guests.

The venue has also been used for international negotiations in the past, including the 2002 New Montreux Mountain ceasefire agreement, peace discussions after the Sudan civil war, talks involving Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders, and the Ukraine peace summit held in June 2024. Pakistan has taken part in international conferences at the resort before, including meetings linked to Ukraine peace initiatives.

The signing ceremony will bring Pakistani civilian and military leadership to Switzerland as preparations conclude for the formalisation of the agreement.