Pakistan, US and Qatar hail ‘historic’ Bürgenstock talks, hope for new Middle East peace drive

• Leaders express optimism for breakthrough in US–Iran technical-level negotiations

• Talks seen as key step toward durable regional peace and global stability

• PM Shehbaz, JD Vance and Qatari PM stress diplomacy as path to de-escalation

• Pakistan and Qatar hosting role praised for facilitating high-level engagement

• Participants call engagement ‘historic’ and unprecedented at this level

 BÜRGENSTOCK: Leaders of Pakistan, the United States and Qatar on Sunday expressed strong optimism that the Bürgenstock talks would help usher in a new phase of diplomacy in the Middle East, voicing hope that the process would contribute to global peace, international security and economic stability.

Speaking to the media ahead of technical-level discussions between Iran and the United States, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, US Vice President JD Vance and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani described the ongoing diplomatic engagement as the beginning of a coordinated effort aimed at building a sustainable framework for regional and global stability.

The talks, hosted and facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar, are part of continued efforts linked to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran, which envisions a ceasefire and a broader framework for a durable settlement of regional tensions.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope that the US-Iran discussions would yield positive outcomes and result in a formal document advancing peace, progress and prosperity at the global level.

He said the meeting carried critical importance for regional peace and prosperity, adding that the ongoing crisis had created serious challenges for the world. The prime minister thanked US President Donald Trump for his “visionary and dynamic leadership” that helped facilitate the engagement in Switzerland.

He also lauded US Vice President JD Vance, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their “outstanding role and consistent efforts,” saying leadership from all participating sides could help lay the foundation for lasting global peace.

“I think together all these efforts have culminated here in this wonderful, humanistic Bürgenstock. It’s really very wonderful to be here. Hopefully, when we go back to our homes, we’ll have some wonderful paper in our hands which will promote peace, progress, and prosperity around the globe,” the prime minister remarked.

US Vice President JD Vance also praised the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, crediting their diplomatic and strategic roles in advancing the process.

“We would not be here without the Field Marshal, who is a great military leader, statesman and diplomat,” he said, adding that he had engaged frequently with him over the past three months. He also described Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a close friend of the US leadership whose “careful and skilled negotiations” helped bring the process to this stage.

Vance further acknowledged the role of Qatar’s leadership, calling it instrumental in facilitating the dialogue. He said the objective of the talks was to use diplomacy to transform the Middle East and create conditions where all countries could work together for shared peace and prosperity.

Describing the engagement as “historic,” he noted that it marked one of the highest-level contacts between Iranian and American leadership in recent times. “What the President has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf, to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand,” he said, adding that “significant progress” had already been made and further advances were expected.

On the situation in Lebanon, JD Vance said US President Donald Trump remained committed to achieving a broader regional ceasefire, adding that diplomatic efforts were ongoing. “There’s still some additional wood to chop, but we’re going to keep on working at it,” he said, adding that the United States had played a leading role in de-escalation efforts over recent months.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also praised the leadership of all participating delegations, saying the meeting represented a “historic and significant” step not only for regional security but also for global stability and the international economy.