US and Iran to sign peace deal on Friday
President Trump announced that a deal with Iran will be signed on Friday, including a ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, following more than 100 days of war.
US President Donald Trump has announced that a peace deal with Iran will be signed on Friday, June 19, in Switzerland. The agreement was first revealed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country mediated indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.
According to Iran's Mehr news agency, the draft agreement contains 14 points. These include an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon; the complete lifting of the naval blockade within 30 days; a US commitment to withdraw forces from around Iran; and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The draft also suspends sanctions on oil sales, aims for a final nuclear agreement within 60 days, and provides for the release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that an end to military operations will be announced early Monday GMT, with a 60-day negotiation period for a final agreement contingent on US compliance with commitments.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Trump, noting the announcement fell on the president's birthday. Vice President JD Vance said the ceasefire could usher in a "new era" for the Middle East, adding that Iran will never possess a nuclear weapon.
Pakistan and Qatar played key mediating roles. Qatar's Foreign Ministry welcomed the memorandum of understanding, viewing it as a step toward sustainable peace. The Iranian Embassy in Turkey posted an image of an Iranian flag over the Strait of Hormuz with the caption: "Welcome to the Middle East of a new era."
