The governments of and in, on all fronts, including Lebanon, a country that plays a key mediating role, with Washington and Tehran confirming this information soon after.
“The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” the US president said via Truth Social, minutes after Pakistani Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif announced via X that a deal had been “reached”.
“Ships of all the world, put your engines forward. Let the oil flow!”
“I approve of the full opening of duty-free transit and, at the same time, the immediate lifting of the US naval blockade. Ships of the world, put your engines forward. Let the oil flow!”, added the American head of state, who, however, later clarified that the sea artery of strategic importance will reopen “as soon as the agreement is signed”, which is expected to happen on Friday, June 19, in order to give time “for the removal of (sea) mines” in the area.
Drop in oil prices
The announcement of the peace deal triggered a drop in oil prices, which had surged since the war broke out in late February and closed the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s hydrocarbon consumption normally passes.
What does the agreement provide?
The agreement between the two governments provides for “the immediate end of the war and military operations on the various fronts, including Lebanon,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Iranian state television.
Four issues on the US-Iran table for the final deal
“Negotiations will begin within 60 days with a view to concluding a final agreement,” Mr. Garibabadi also said, pointing out that Tehran is still “mistrustful” of the US. He spoke of four issues that will be on the table: “the lifting of all sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, whether they are unilateral primary or secondary; the nuclear energy program; the reconstruction” and “economic development” of Iran; and “the creation of a monitoring mechanism” that will guarantee the implementation of the commitments that will be made.
14-point deal leaked to Iran
Iran’s MEHR news agency carried a text it presented as the “memorandum of understanding”, the 14-point agreement protocol reached by the US and Iran: it provides, among other things, “the release of 24 billion dollars that have been frozen (including abroad) during the 60-day negotiation” that will begin after the signing, “half” of which “will be put into disposition of Iran before the start of negotiations”, according to the text already broadcast by MEHR the day before Saturday, however it has not been officially confirmed.
The signing of the agreement on Friday
The signing ceremony of the agreement will be held on Friday, June 19 in Geneva, informed Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif. The US vice president announced that he intends to be present, adding that the presence of US President Trump is “probable”.
Guterres is positive
The UN Secretary-General welcomed the agreement, “a crucial step towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict”, as he stressed, according to a press release issued by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Iran “imposed its divine and steel will on the American and Zionist enemies”, “humiliated” them, and “the enemy had no choice but to accept defeat and surrender”, argued the general staff of the Iranian army, according to state television.
Moments before the deal was announced, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council warned via X that there would be “immediate” retaliation to an Israeli bombing that killed three in a southern suburb of Beirut, a stronghold of Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah movement, which is close to Tehran.
Furious Trump: Israel’s raid should not have happened
US President Trump earlier opined via Truth Social that Israel’s raid “shouldn’t have happened, especially on this special day” — yesterday being his 80th birthday.
He declared himself “outraged” to the Axios news website, stressing that he criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the blow: “he has no f—ing crisis, I told him.”
Israeli authorities, increasingly nervous about the possibility of a compromise that will not meet their demands regarding Iran, the Jewish state’s sworn enemy, countered that they retaliated against a Hezbollah drone attack on Israeli territory.
Trump at the G7 in France
Under pressure at home to end the highly unpopular war, which is also rocking the global economy, Donald Trump is expected to hold talks with the rest of the G7 leaders at a summit in Evian, France, this week.
Macron’s first reaction
“The goal will be to see the consequences of this agreement, the support of Lebanon, the permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and obviously the conclusion of an agreement on Iran’s nuclear energy program and ballistic missile program,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a video posted on Instagram after arriving in the city on the shores of Lake Leman, shortly after the deal was announced.
Joint announcement of E4
In a joint statement, the governments of Britain, France, Germany and Italy – known as the E4 – said they were willing to lift some “sanctions in return for clear and verifiable measures by Iran on its nuclear energy program”.
The war, which broke out on February 28 with a flurry of US and Israeli bombardments against the Islamic Republic, has set fire to and killed thousands of people, the vast majority in Iran and Lebanon.
