U.S., Iran Announce Framework Deal to End Regional War
Ceasefire agreement includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing restrictions on Iranian ports, while the nuclear issue is deferred for 60 days of further negotiations
Photo: White House website https://www.whitehouse.gov/gallery/president-donald-j-trump-attends-gam…
A dramatic development unfolded between Sunday and Monday night as the United States and Iran officially announced that they had reached an agreed draft memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
The agreement, intended to bring a complete halt to hostilities, includes significant provisions concerning the lifting of restrictions on Iranian ports and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to free maritime traffic. It is expected to be signed on Friday in Switzerland.
News of the emerging deal has already reverberated through global markets, with oil prices plunging by roughly 4 percent. However, the Iranian nuclear issue – widely regarded as the core of the conflict – remains unresolved. The parties agreed to leave it for further intensive negotiations that will continue for 60 days.
“The deal with the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” US President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social, just hours after Israel had been placed on high alert amid concerns over a potential missile launch from Tehran.
Prior to Trump’s announcement, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who served as the chief mediator between the parties, also confirmed that the agreement had been finalized and that the official signing ceremony would take place this Friday in Geneva.
Under the document, an immediate ceasefire will take effect across all fronts, including the Lebanese theater. At the same time, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued an official statement confirming that the war would formally end on Monday evening.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi clarified that the full details of the agreement, including the removal of economic sanctions on Iran, will be negotiated during the ceasefire period. As an initial confidence-building measure, reports indicated that the United States would unfreeze $12 billion in Iranian assets and funds.
In an interview with The New York Times, Trump addressed the agreement in his characteristic style, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he described as a “very difficult guy.” Trump again emphasized the importance of reopening shipping routes and concluded on a poetic note: “Ships of the world, start yor engines. Let the oil flow.”
In Jerusalem, the expanded security cabinet convened last night at a secret location to discuss the implications of the agreement. Senior political and security officials voiced sharp criticism of the framework, centering on concerns that action against Iran’s nuclear program has been postponed while the country’s ballistic missile program and regional proxy activities have been entirely overlooked.
Officials in Jerusalem also expressed deep frustration that Israel – the country most directly threatened – found itself excluded from the negotiating room during the critical moments leading up to the agreement’s announcement.