Arabic version: جنيف تستضيف مراسم توقيع مذكرة تفاهم تاريخية بين الولايات المتحدة وإيران

The United States and Iran are to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU), ending weeks of war and starting 60 days of negotiations, in the Swiss city of Geneva on Friday. The event will be hosted by Pakistan, which has played a key role in mediating between the two adversaries since the war began with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28.

According to Al Jazeera, the specific officials representing the warring parties and the mediator during the ceremony have yet to be confirmed. The choice of Geneva as the venue is notable, as the city is often referred to as the “Peace Capital” of the world, having hosted numerous significant diplomatic efforts and peace treaties.

Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, highlighted the advantages of Geneva for such negotiations, citing Swiss neutrality and the city’s logistical practicality, as well as its array of suitable venues.

Geneva has a rich history of hosting important agreements, including the Geneva Conventions, which established international humanitarian laws, and various peace accords involving multiple nations. The upcoming MoU between the US and Iran adds to this legacy, potentially paving the way for a new chapter in their fraught relationship.