The United States and Iran have agreed to terms to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a development that has brought relief to global markets. However, the pact may depend on an end to hostilities in Lebanon and postpones discussions regarding Tehran's nuclear programme.
Framework Agreement Reached
While still a framework, the deal represents the most significant breakthrough toward resolving a conflict that has killed thousands and disrupted energy markets since it began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.
US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform at around 5:30 PM in Washington (2130 GMT) on Sunday: "The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete." His statement came shortly after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that an agreement had been reached.
The memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland. The precise terms were not immediately disclosed.
PM Shehbaz stated in a post on X that the pact calls for "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." He added: "Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED. Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in…"
Lebanon Remains a Sticking Point
Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations are due to arrive at a French lakeside resort on Monday, where Trump will be pressed for details. Lebanon has been a persistent sticking point in the negotiations. Although the US and Iran had largely ceased hostilities during weeks-long talks, Lebanon has suffered the deadliest spillover of the conflict. Some 1.2 million people have been displaced by an Israeli offensive against Hezbollah, which opened fire on Israel in support of Tehran on March 2.
Israel and Hezbollah have ignored calls from Trump and others to stop their attacks, while Iran made a full ceasefire in Lebanon one of its demands. The secretariat of Iran's Supreme National Security Council announced that war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, would end permanently starting on Monday night.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated there must be a complete halt to Israeli attacks against Lebanon and wrote on Telegram that the US bears responsibility for implementing the framework deal. Hezbollah has not yet publicly commented on the US-Iran deal, but Lebanese and foreign security sources told Reuters that the group had last fired at Israel before midnight on Sunday and had not launched operations since then. The pace of Israeli attacks has decreased dramatically, they added.
Before the memorandum was announced, Trump said he would bring peace to the region, including Lebanon, and that there should be no more Israeli attacks on Lebanon or Hezbollah attacks on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to respond publicly to the US-Iran agreement. However, Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would oppose any pressure to withdraw its forces from areas it is occupying in southern Lebanon.
Strait of Hormuz to Reopen
Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route for global oil and gas supplies that Iran has effectively shut down for months, would open on Friday, and that he had ordered the end of the US blockade of Iranian ports. "Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!" Trump wrote.
Oil prices fell on the news, though shippers remained cautious and ensuring the waterway is clear of mines could take weeks. Brent crude futures fell some 5% on Monday while stock markets jumped.
The war has become a political liability at home for Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress, with Americans deeply frustrated by rising gas prices ahead of November's midterm elections. Trump has also faced pressure from members of his own party who insist that Iran's nuclear programme must be completely shut down.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 multilateral Iran deal, negotiated by Democratic President Barack Obama, that lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme and international inspections. Iran responded by ramping up its enrichment of uranium, producing more than 400 kilogrammes of material at close to bomb-grade purity.
Release of Frozen Assets
The agreement was sealed despite an Israeli strike on Lebanon on Sunday that drew criticism from both Iran and Trump. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said a more expansive agreement on the wider conflict would be negotiated during a 60-day ceasefire period, including sanctions relief for Iran. The fate of Tehran's nuclear programme, another thorny issue, will also be addressed in those later talks, sources previously told Reuters.
Leaders outside the Middle East welcomed the announcement. In a joint statement, Britain, Germany, France and Italy said they were prepared to lift sanctions on Iran in response to "clear, verifiable steps" to limit its nuclear programme. China also welcomed the deal.
Before the deal was announced, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that, under the terms of the draft, the US would agree to release $25 billion of frozen Iranian assets. A US official, also speaking before the announcement, said the agreement would ultimately lead to the dismantling of Iran's nuclear programme, with its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to be destroyed and removed. The senior Iranian official said the draft deal would allow Iran, which denies seeking a nuclear bomb, to dilute its enriched uranium inside the country.
