The US-Iran agreement to end the war across the Middle East has been confirmed by both Washington and Tehran, following an announcement by Pakistan, which played a key mediating role in the negotiations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said an agreement had been reached, while US President Donald Trump confirmed via Truth Social that the deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran had been finalised.
Trump also announced plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the US naval blockade once the agreement is formally signed. The signing ceremony is expected to take place in Geneva on 19 June.
The announcement triggered a decline in global oil prices, which had surged since the conflict erupted in late February and led to the closure of the strategically important waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s hydrocarbon supplies normally pass.
What the agreement includes
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the US-Iran agreement provides for an immediate halt to military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon.
He added that negotiations aimed at securing a permanent settlement would begin within 60 days. According to Iranian officials, four key issues will be addressed during the talks:
- The removal of all sanctions imposed on Iran
- Iran’s nuclear energy programme
- Reconstruction and economic development
- The creation of a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance with commitments
Iran’s MEHR news agency also published what it described as a 14-point memorandum of understanding between the two countries. The document reportedly includes the release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets during the negotiation period, though this provision has not been officially confirmed.
Geneva signing ceremony planned
Sharif said the formal signing ceremony would take place in Geneva on Friday, 19 June.
US Vice President JD Vance indicated he plans to attend and said President Trump may also be present.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the agreement, describing it as a critical step towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Iran’s military leadership claimed the agreement demonstrated that Tehran had imposed its will on its adversaries and forced them to accept defeat.
Tensions remained high before deal announcement
Only hours before the announcement, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council warned of imminent retaliation following an Israeli strike on a southern suburb of Beirut that killed three people in a Hezbollah stronghold.
Trump later criticised the Israeli operation, saying it should not have taken place and expressing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli authorities argued that the strike was a response to a Hezbollah drone attack targeting Israeli territory.
International support for negotiations
The US-Iran agreement is expected to dominate discussions among G7 leaders meeting in Evian, France, later this week.
French President Emmanuel Macron said talks would focus on the consequences of the agreement, support for Lebanon, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and future negotiations over Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
In a joint statement, the governments of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy said they were prepared to ease certain sanctions in exchange for clear and verifiable Iranian measures relating to its nuclear activities.
The conflict, which began on 28 February with large-scale US and Israeli strikes against Iran, has claimed thousands of lives, the majority of them in Iran and Lebanon.
Also read: Iranian news agency reveals proposed deal to end conflict
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