MoU 20260615

The US-Iran announcement has raised hopes among people in Lebanon after Pakistani mediators said it includes an end to Israel’s war on their country.

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Israel is not a “subordinate of the United States”.

“We are an independent and sovereign nation,” he said on X, adding: “We are not partners to this agreement that does not ensure our security, and it does not bind us in any way.”

“We must not compromise on anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah, we must not withdraw from any territory that our fighters have captured and cleared of terror infrastructure, we must not return to a situation where thousands of terrorists sit on the fences of northern settlements, and certainly we must not remain silent for a moment in the face of fire directed at the State of Israel,” the minister wrote.

⁠Israel will not withdraw ⁠from territory it ⁠has seized in Lebanon, and if ‌Iran attacks it over events in Lebanon, Israel ⁠will retaliate, Israeli ⁠Defense Minister Israel Katz says. ⁠

Lebanon was drawn into the US-Israel war on Iran when fighting broke out between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2. An April ceasefire in Lebanon has never been observed, and the fighting has continued despite a new conditional truce announced last week after Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington, DC.

Chancellor Christian Stocker has welcomed the agreement in a post on X.

“I call on all parties to ensure the swift and full implementation of the memorandum, including the permanent opening of the Strait of Hormuz in order to guarantee freedom of navigation in accordance with international law,” he said.

Stocker said the deal opens a window for negotiations towards “a more stable and secure” Middle East.

“This includes addressing Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs,” he said. “The stakes are high not only for the region but for all of us.”

The Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has issued a statement after the agreement between Tehran and Washington was announced.

According to the official IRNA news agency, it praised the “resilient and proud people of Iran, and their brave and courageous sons in the country’s powerful armed forces”.

The military “proved with strength that the humiliated American and Zionist enemies have no choice but to accept defeat and surrender”.

Kuwait has expressed a “warm welcome” for the memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran.

It also commended the role played by Pakistan and Qatar in contributing “to bridging viewpoints and creating the conditions for reaching this important understanding”.

A statement by its Foreign Ministry on X said Kuwait hopes the deal leads to “mutual respect and the strengthening of trust, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, refraining from the use of force, … ceasing support for proxies … and ensuring the continued freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.

“The ministry calls on all parties to engage in the forthcoming negotiations with a positive and constructive spirit,” it added

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has talked by phone with his counterparts in Egypt, Iraq and Turkey, according to his official Telegram channel.

During the calls, Araghchi discussed the Iran-US agreement and stressed the need to bring an immediate halt to Israel’s aggression and what he described as “destabilising attacks on Lebanon”, the post said.

The three other foreign ministers welcomed “diplomatic efforts to achieve stability and security in the region”, the post reads.

Lorenzo Trombetta, a senior analyst at Italy’s ANSA news agency, says Israel’s war on Lebanon will continue and the US won’t pressure it to stop.

“The strategy of the Netanyahu government is to keep an aggressive war posture against Hezbollah with one or two eyes on the election at the end of October,” Trombetta says, referring to Netanyahu.

“There are ministers in this government, namely Ben-Gvir, campaigning for themselves, pushing for even more hard line rhetoric, and there is the paradox that a ceasefire that Israel truly respects would not serve these political strategies,” he added.

“So for the political needs of these Netanyahu government ministers, keeping the country on a high alert simply works better than a ceasefire that is generally respected.”

Israel’s military will continue to occupy land in southern Lebanon that it said it has seized to protect northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks, and US pressure on Israel to halt its war is unlikely to work, Trombetta said.

“I do not see how the Trump administration can leverage Netanyahu. Yes, American weapons are a lever, but Washington has very rarely been willing to use it … to contain the aggressive Israeli military pressure inside Lebanon.”

Arsenio Dominguez, the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), says the development “signals a crucial return to peace, dialogue, multilateralism and diplomacy and, in particular, an important step towards restoring safety” in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor.

“The agreement also allows IMO to advance its plan to evacuate the thousands of seafarers stranded in the area,” he said.

Dominguez stressed that the organization is working in close collaboration with member states and partners to implement the evacuation plan safely and effectively.

“However, its implementation will require time to ensure that all necessary safety and security guarantees are in place,” he said.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says the US-Iran agreement “is bad for Israel and for the entire free world”.

“The joint campaign had many achievements in weakening Iran, and they will not go to waste,” Smotrich said on X.

“We will have to continue the campaign to topple the regime ourselves and in creative ways, and ensure that Iran will never have nuclear weapons.”

Smotrich promised to keep targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon despite US pressure to halt attacks.

“This is our war, our fighters, and the immediate security of our northern residents. I will continue to work to ensure we stand firm and allow the [military] full freedom of action to continue pushing Hezbollah back.”

The speaker of Lebanon’s House of Representatives, Nabih Berri, who is also the leader of the Amal Movement, which primarily represents the Shia community, has praised the deal agreed between Iran and the US and thanked the two countries for including Lebanon in it.

In a statement posted on the official page of the Amal Movement, Berri “extended his thanks and appreciation to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America and their leadership for their adherence and insistence on including in the agreed-upon memorandum a fundamental and binding provision to halt the Israeli aggression on all of Lebanon”.

He added that he hopes this preserves Lebanon’s “sovereignty over its entire territory … and avoids falling into the trap set by the Israeli political echelon under Netanyahu’s leadership”.

Berri also commended the contributions of Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in reaching the agreement, which, he said, “establishes the foundations of security and stability in the region, including Lebanon”.

More international reaction to the agreement between Iran and the US.

Speaking to reporters, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a “very significant breakthrough” and expressed hope the initial deal could lead to “enduring peace that we all ‌want to see”.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also welcomed the deal, saying it could be a “turning point” for peace in the region.

“Egypt hopes that this agreement will constitute a major turning point towards strengthening mutual trust, laying new foundations for cooperation, creating a supportive environment for peace and advancing diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing remaining regional issues,” it said.

In addition to phone calls with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Iraq and Turkey, Iran’s Abbas Araghchi also called his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi.

The diplomats discussed “the content of and latest developments related to” the US-Iran deal, according to Araghchi’s Telegram channel.

The Iranian foreign minister explained the main clauses of the deal and expressed hope that its implementation would mark the beginning of a new chapter in economic cooperation between the two countries.

Motegi welcomed the deal, describing it as an important step towards resolving the regional crisis and emphasised the need for its precise implementation, according to a statement.

Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israeli forces will continue to indefinitely occupy areas of Syria and Gaza in addition to southern Lebanon.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are pursuing a clear policy under which the [military] will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an unlimited period of time in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against Jihadists elements,” Katz said in a statement.

“This is the main lesson from the events of October 7. We oppose the [army’s] withdrawal from Lebanon – despite all the existing pressures and those that will come.”

After the 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, it seized hundreds of square kilometers of territory in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, claiming the land grabs were necessary for its security.

Shippers say confidence in resuming transit through the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to rebuild and navigation will restart only once safety is assured.

Major companies have welcomed news of the ⁠US-Iran deal but are still waiting for more details, including on mine clearance.

“The market is clearly pricing-in a return to business as usual, but after months of disruption, owners and charterers alike will likely remain cautious until ships are consistently moving freely through Hormuz once again,” analysts at Sentosa Ship Brokers said in a note.

The US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28, largely stopped shipping through the strait, which had been the route for one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies before the war along with other vital products, such as aluminum and urea.

While traffic through the strait remains limited, India’s Petronet sent the LNG tanker Disha through it today, the only visible shipment so far, data from Kpler and LSEG showed.

The tanker picked up its cargo at Qatar’s Ras Laffan on March 1 and had been stranded west of the strait. The Dahej terminal in India is its eventual destination.

More countries have praised the tentative agreement to end the war on Iran.

In statements released by each of the countries’ foreign ministries, China, Jordan and Saudi Arabia commended the contributions to the negotiations by Pakistan and Qatar and expressed hope the deal will restore security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and lead to lasting peace in the region.

In its statement, Jordan also voiced its “steadfast position in support of resolving disputes through diplomatic means in accordance with the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter”.

The Gulf country’s Foreign Ministry has welcomed the announcement of the memorandum of understanding between the two countries, affirming the importance of adhering to international law “in a manner that enhances security and stability in the region”.

In a statement, the ministry stressed the importance of “full compliance with the agreement’s provisions, ensuring an immediate and comprehensive cessation of hostilities in the region, respect for the sovereignty of states and the principles of good neighborliness, strict adherence to international law, and the protection of maritime routes and freedom of international navigation, including ensuring the smooth flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz”.

It added: “This will enhance security, stability, and economic prosperity at both the regional and international levels.”

The Emirati ministry commended Trump’s diplomatic efforts and called for “continued progress in negotiations to build upon this progress and achieve sustainable results”.

Gideon Levy, an author and columnist at Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, has described the situation between the US, Israel and Iran as “still very explosive”.

“At the end of the day, it’s very clear that Israel only lost in this game. Around Trump, there are many, many people in the Republican Party, in the White House, in the State Department who are much more critical about Israel than Trump himself,” he noted.

“Now if Netanyahu succeeds to damage the relations with Trump, then Israel is standing really in a challenge which it never knew before. And I think the outcome, the results, the consequences will be clear within a very short time,” Levy said.

“For the United States and for Donald Trump personally, Israel is an obstacle, and it will be treated as an obstacle from now on.”

The Lebanese army has urged displaced residents to exercise caution in returning to border villages and towns in the country’s south after the announcement that the preliminary US-Iran deal includes the immediate end of military operations in Lebanon.

In a statement on social media, the army also called on people “to adhere to instructions of the deployed army units, in order to safeguard their safety from the risk of Israeli violations and attacks”.

Pakistan says it will oversee the US-Iran agreement’s signing ceremony on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the National Assembly in Islamabad: “After three months and 16 days of unparalleled trials, the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations has been announced across all fronts, including Iran, America and Lebanon.”

Pakistan has been a key mediator between the US and Iran for months.

In contrast to leaders from around the world, Israeli figures across the political spectrum have slammed the US-Iran agreement.

Here’s what some had to say:

• National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was the first to comment, writing on his Telegram channel: “Trump’s agreement does not bind us. … We are not party to this agreement. It does not safeguard our security. … We must not settle for anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah. We must not withdraw from a single inch of territory that our soldiers have captured and cleared of terrorist infrastructure.”
• Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed the sentiment, calling the deal “bad for Israel”, adding: “We will have to continue the campaign to bring down the [Iranian] regime ourselves, using creative means, and ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.”
• The deal marks a “dangerous turn for Israel’s security”, Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister and a contender for premier in Israel’s upcoming elections, said in a statement.
• Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Democrats Party, said Israel’s military achievements have been “erased” with the “stroke of a pen”.

Alexandre Hudisteanu, military and maritime analyst, says it remains unclear whether the Strait of Hormuz will be immediately reopened as Trump claims.

“I am optimistic but not so much because we have seen this interaction between Iran and the US [before], and we have seen the narratives both parties are pushing,” he said.

Previous attacks on commercial vessels will mean wary shipping companies will be restrained in resuming operations, Hudisteanu said.

“The shipping industry was caught in the middle, so there will be for sure cautious optimism for this. The world is tired about this situation in the Strait of Hormuz, and everybody would like to return to normal. But we must understand the post-Hormuz world will not necessarily be the pre-Hormuz world at a minimum.”

Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of defense, has denied that his country’s military is facing a munitions stockpile shortage.

Concerns over the war on Iran straining US weapons stockpiles deepened last month after acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao cited the conflict as a reason for pausing arms sales to Taiwan.

Hegseth dismissed the idea when asked on the Face the Nation program on the CBS TV network if there was a crisis in munitions stockpiles.

“That is a manufactured story that the media wants to peddle, and ultimately, our stockpiles are great and they’re only getting stronger,” he said.

“We’re building more than ever before.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says regional visits are planned before the signing of the agreement with the US in Switzerland this week.

Lebanon is a critical part of the memorandum of understanding and the country will be closely watching developments there, says Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry.

“Respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon is part of interim agreement with the US,” Baghaei told reporters.

“I’d like to express my condolences to the entire Lebanese people. We adopt our decision according to certain measurements because of these terrorist attacks from the Zionist entity against Lebanon.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has welcomed the announcement of the Iran-IS deal, which includes a halt to military actions in Lebanon.

“I appreciate what this memorandum contains in terms of respect for Lebanese specificity and the recognition that Lebanon’s stability and security constitute an integral part of any serious endeavour to consolidate stability in the region,” he said in a statement shared by the Lebanese presidency.

Aoun said he hopes this agreement leads to “stability in the region, preserves the sovereignty of states and the rights of their peoples, and allows the Lebanese to focus on rebuilding what has been destroyed, and restoring their normal lives under a secure and stable state”.

The spokesman for Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs has mentioned the coup decades ago orchestrated by the West as a starting point for the source of “deep-rooted” distrust.

“We doubt the Americans because we had previous experiences with them that go back to 1953,” said Esmaeil Baghaei, highlighting the year a joint US-UK campaign to overthrow the democratically elected government was successfully carried out.

“Since that moment trust has gone between America and Iran, and it is deep rooted. There is a long road for the United States to go in order to gain our trust.”

More highlights from the news conference by Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman:

• Lebanon’s national sovereignty is one of the main pillars of the memorandum of understanding agreed with the United States.
• The deal emphasizes ending the war on all fronts, including respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, which is clearly stated in the framework of our international commitment.
• These clear statements show that no agreement will be sustainable without comprehensive guarantees of Lebanon’s security and territorial independence.

Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could ⁠delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks ⁠following a deal to reopen the waterway, maritime security sources tell Reuters news agency.

The operation by conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater drones could continue for 40 to 50 days before many insurance, shipping or oil companies are confident enough to sail through, according to assessments.

That could potentially hold up tens of millions of barrels of oil.

“We still consider it very risky for ships to commence transits at this point,” said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at shipping association BIMCO.

“The threat of mines in the area remains a concern immediately as well as further down the line, and mine-free routes need to be established.”

More highlights from the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman’s news conference:

• The issue of redress and seeking justice for all the war dead is a permanent, continuous and unforgivable step.
• No one can forget the crimes committed against the Iranian people under any circumstances.
• The Foreign Ministry will use any means, capacity and international platform to document, record and talk about these “heinous” crimes.
• Reaching any understanding to reduce tensions and end the war will never mean “ignoring, forgetting or forgiving” the crimes committed against the Iranian people.

Benny Gantz, the head of the Blue and White party, has described the Iran-US agreement as a “strategic failure” that will have long-term consequences for Israel.

“The emerging agreement with Iran appears to be a strategic failure that will require Israel to engage in diplomatic, military, and legal struggles in the coming years,” Gantz, a former defense minister, said in a social media post.

“Under no circumstances – it is forbidden to agree to restrict Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon or to a withdrawal that endangers the residents of the north,” he added.

Since its announcement, the preliminary agreement has been criticised by various Israeli opposition politicians and several members in the Israeli government, including far-right National Security Minister Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Smotrich.

The French president has promised ahead of the G7 summit in France that “we will do everything” to ensure Iran doesn’t impose tolls on ships in the key Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to TF1 TV hours after the Iran-US deal was announced, Emmanuel Macron said a joint France-UK mission to ensure the strait opens is prepared to deploy “very quickly”.

The French flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is ready to be in the area “on a timescale of two to three days”, he added.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, has indicated that “fees” may be charged for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Strait of Hormuz is very important for us, and we have adopted certain procedures according to international law in order to protect Iran’s national security and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he told a media conference.

“Our goal is to pave the way for a secure passage in this waterway. We need a certain period of time to discuss with the other sides this important matter.”

Baghaei said “fees” would be charged.

“It’s full services that will be offered in order to keep and maintain the environment. So many other services will be offered by Iran and Oman, and this will cost money. Accordingly, the fees will be there and this is clear.”

Paula Yacoubian, an independent Lebanese politician, says Israel will do its utmost to derail the US-Iran deal.

“Let’s hope it does not become a memorandum of misunderstanding. It’s obvious now there is so much at stake. It’s a very fragile understanding, and I guess Israel is trying to sabotage it,” Yacoubian says.

She noted how the US-Israel war on Iran “proved how important Hezbollah is for the Iranian regime”.

“Hezbollah fought for Iran, not for the interests of Lebanon… This is bad news for Israel and you can hear today the screaming.”

The US president says “ships are starting to move” out of the Strait of Hormuz – “many loaded up with oil”.

“They are going along the Southern Highway, which is totally safe, secure, and pristine,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to a corridor in the waterway.

“There are other areas of travel also,” he added, without elaborating.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says the country will doubles efforts “to secure the complete Israeli withdrawal from our lands and the release of our prisoners” after the US-Iran ceasefire agreement was announced.

Salam said in a statement it hopes this deal “will succeed in putting an end to this war and halting the killing, destruction, displacement, and all the tragedies and pains inflicted upon the Lebanese”.

He thanked “all those who contributed to achieving this outcome”.

“We look forward to our people being able to return safely and with dignity as quickly as possible to their cities and villages and will intensify efforts with partners to secure the requirements for reconstruction,” Salam said.

The US vice president says technical details on how the Strait of Hormuz will be operated are still to be determined through talks.

Asked on CNBC if there’s an understanding with Iran that the crucial waterway will reopen toll free for just an initial period of 60 days or a longer term, JD Vance said: “Our expectation is that the strait is going to be opened in a toll-free way for the long term, and that’s the sort of thing that we’re going to figure out in these technical negotiations.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said earlier that “fees for full services” will be charged for commercial vessels traversing Hormuz.

Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher with the Center for Strategic Studies in Tehran, says Iran has been wise to get part of its frozen assets up front as part of the deal with the US.

“If the Americans don’t comply with their obligations and the MOU is going to collapse, Iran will obtain immediate concessions and that is getting part of its frozen assets – assets in its hands,” he says.

Another major win was to have the US pledge on behalf of itself and Israel to end the war on all fronts  including Lebanon.

“That means constraining Israel’s freedom of military action against Lebanon. This shows the depth of Iran’s commitment to Lebanon in general and Hezbollah in particular,” said Dareini.

“Israel has never been willing to be constrained, but this time this MOU will get Israel to stop its aggression against Lebanon. And if they do not comply, then Iran will react. This is an important test to see if Trump has the political will to tame Israel.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Iran’s behavior will need to change before sanctions can be lifted.

Asked about the European Union’s approach to lifting sanctions, von der Leyen told reporters, “The principle of sanctions is that we need real change on the ground before we can think about lifting them.”

“If behavior is changing credibly and verifiably, then you can lift sanctions.”

Sanctions on Iran relate to the violation of human rights and weapons of mass destruction, Von der Leyen said.

The Omani Foreign Minister, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, says “the entire global community should welcome Iran-US understanding”.

“It’s a timely win for diplomacy and common sense,” he wrote on X.

The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have welcomed the US‑Iran deal, expressing support for diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing regional stability.

The UAE’s ministry of foreign affairs stressed the importance of full compliance with the agreement and commended diplomatic efforts led by US President Donald Trump.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry reiterated its support for resolving conflicts through peaceful means and called on all parties to engage in the next round of negotiations with a positive and constructive attitude.

Kuwait will resume limited operations for Gulf, Arab and foreign airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority has announced.

No schedule has been announced yet, with coordination to be “conducted with airlines wishing to operate” out of Kuwait International Airport’s Terminal 4, the authority said.

The airport’s Terminal 1 was struck by an Iranian drone earlier this month, killing one person, injuring dozens and causing significant damage.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says a deal between the United States and Iran could help stabilize the global economy, but warned the agreement must also apply to Lebanon.

Speaking before this week’s G7 meeting in France, Merz said the agreement could have wider economic and regional consequences.

He also said a diplomatic opening has emerged over the war in Ukraine and he wants to discuss it with US President Trump.

The US president has arrived in the Swiss city of Geneva before traveling to France for a G7 summit dominated by his outline deal with Iran and pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Air Force One landed in Geneva on Monday, according to the AFP news agency.

Trump is expected to travel from Geneva to the nearby French resort town of Evian, where world leaders will gather for the G7 talks.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has hailed the US-Iran memorandum of understanding as a “document of honor” for the region and Iran’s “resistance forces”.

Speaking at a national conference, Pezeshkian said there were “minor differences in a very short section”, but did not elaborate.

Israel’s reaction to the agreement shows “we are victorious”, the president added.

The US blockade of Iranian ports will not end until the agreement between Tehran and Washington is signed, says the US military.⁠

“A military blockade ⁠of Iranian ⁠ports remains in effect restricting all traffic ⁠inbound and outbound ⁠from these ⁠ports,” Reuters news agency quoted a military statement.

“Do not attempt to ‌cross until explicit direction is ‌given,” it added.

Hezbollah has congratulated Iran on the peace agreement, but also warned Israel “there will be no return to the pre-March 2 status quo”.

“The resistance, which has been and remains the vigilant guardian of the homeland and its people, will not accept any aggression that violates its sovereignty or sheds the blood of its people,” the Lebanon-based group said in a lengthy statement.

Hezbollah remains committed to Lebanon’s “right to defend its land, its people, and its sovereignty until a complete withdrawal is achieved and the prisoners are returned”, it added.

Iran says ending hostilities in Lebanon is part of the deal with the US – even as a new Israeli attack in southern Lebanon has killed one person and multiple Israeli politicians have slammed the deal.

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have killed 3,798 people and injured 11,781 others since March 2, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Iranian Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says Iran has taken a “great step toward final victory” after what he called the country’s “historic resistance” against Israel and the US.

“With your historic resistance and the valor of the armed forces against those who sought the life of this nation and the destruction and surrender of this homeland, Iran took a great step toward final victory,” Ghalibaf said in a post on X.

Ghalibaf said Iran would continue to stand firm.

More negotiations are expected between Washington and Tehran following Friday’s signing ceremony in Switzerland, said Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi.

Speaking after meeting with members of the Iranian Parliament’s Economic Commission, Araghchi cautioned that negotiators were moving ahead amid a backdrop of distrust.

“We plan the process of negotiations and implementation of the agreement based on distrust, breach of commitments and past experiences,” he said.

“We try to create economic breakthroughs for the country as much as we can through the agreement,” the diplomat added.

Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium need to be neutralized and placed under the supervision of the UN atomic agency, says French President Emmanuel Macron.

“We will ensure the enriched uranium capabilities that remain are properly neutralized,” Macron said after President Trump announced the Iran deal.

Sensitive stocks should be “either taken out or diluted”, and then looked after by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Macron said.

The US President says the deal with Tehran is “all signed”, without elaborating on whether Iran also signed the document.

“The deal’s all signed, and the Strait is already partially opened,” Trump said in Evian-les-Bains in France, alongside President Emmanuel Macron.

The waterway will be “completely open” by Friday, Trump pledged.

Trump has said “we got along very well with Iran” in the latest round of negotiations.

“I felt badly we had to go back and attack for two nights,” the US president added.

The US president has said that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon”.

“They agreed to that,” Trump said, adding that “strong policing” will enforce the agreement.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a good relationship … and if we don’t, we go back to where we started,” he said.

The US president says that Iran will only receive sanctions relief if they “do what they’re supposed to do”.

“It’s really a behavioral thing. If they do what they’re supposed to do, that starts taking effect,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking alongside Trump, has said that France and the United Kingdom will lead a mission to coordinate reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The maritime and naval effort will involve about 20 countries, Macron said, reiterating that France remains committed to helping in this regard.

France and the UK both turned down requests from Trump to send military assets earlier in the war.

The Israeli press is reporting that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to give a video statement at 9pm (18:00 GMT).

It will be his first public statement since the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran was announced.

Netanyahu, along with most Israeli officials, is unhappy with the emerging agreement. He is unlikely to publicly confront US President Donald Trump over the deal, but could yet seek to sabotage it.

Donald Trump shared the following, while speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 in Evian-les-Bainse:

• The US president confirmed reports that the “deal’s all signed”. A senior US official earlier said Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signed the agreement yesterday.
• The president said the Strait of Hormuz will be “completely open” by Friday.
• Iran has agreed not to have a nuclear weapon, Trump said, promising that the stipulation will be enforced by “strong policing”.
• Although he provided few other details about the agreement’s contents, Trump said the text will be released “very soon”.
• France, the UK and about 20 other countries will lead a maritime and naval effort to coordinate reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Macron said.
• Trump signaled positivity about future relations with Iran, saying he “got along very well” with “the third set” of Iranian leaders and that “hopefully it’s going to be a good relationship”.

It’s a given that the Israelis will do what they can to upend a deal that they think doesn’t deliver for them, according to Daniel Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project and a former Israeli political negotiator.

“Israel assumed that if you could pull the US into a war with Iran, it was a given that you could collapse Iran, create chaos, pull other states more into your orbit, and advance this Greater Israel project. That’s not how it’s played out at all,” he said.

“This was the same kind of hubris that they had in assuming that they could dominate the region, that they could eradicate the Palestinians.”

The four days between now and the signing of the US-Iran deal are a long time for Israel to do what it can to unravel the deal, while 60 days is an eternity, Levy said.

If Israelis are unsuccessful in doing so, he noted, they may ask Donald Trump to be compensated on other fronts, such as not withdrawing from Lebanon or by pushing the government to launch a civil war there. They may say, “Why not give us more on the West Bank, on Gaza, allow us to go back to at least a more destructive footing than currently,” he explained.

Alternatively, Netanyahu may ask Trump to back his upcoming election campaign.

“So those are the kind of menu of options that Israel will work its way through in the coming days, weeks and months,” Levy said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed the agreement between the United States and Iran.

Ankara is “greatly pleased” with the deal and hopes it will pave the way for lasting peace and stability in the region, Erdogan said in remarks reported by the Anadolu news agency.

Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, says the US-Iran deal marks a new phase in diplomacy rather than a final settlement.

Aslani said “diplomacy is gaining momentum, but this is not the endgame, but a new beginning”.

Aslani added that Iran would go into the signing of the memorandum of understanding in Switzerland later this week while watching closely how Washington implements its commitments, saying Tehran has learned from “past” experience and wants “to be a bit cautious”.

He said the official signing would start a 60-day timeframe for nuclear-related negotiations and talks on sanctions relief.

Aslani warned that the path ahead “could be somehow a bumpy road”, particularly because of what he described as the Israeli factor. “Tel Aviv might be yet try to torpedo the progress,” he said.

The Palestinian group has welcomed the agreement between the US and Iran.

In a statement, Hamas said it hoped the deal would “have a positive impact on various regional issues, foremost among them the immediate cessation of the ongoing Zionist aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and an end to the repeated attacks and violations against Lebanon and other fronts”.

Security and stability in the region are impossible as long as Israel “continues its war of extermination, starvation, and displacement” against Palestinian people, Hamas said.

There is still a long way to go between the US and Iran on peace negotiations, but it appears that it’s Iran that’s getting the benefits upfront, according to Henry Ensher, a former US ambassador and a negotiator in the 2015 nuclear deal.

“The weight of reporting on the memorandum of understanding indicates that the Iranians are going to get something before they agree to anything,” he says.

He added that while we haven’t seen the MoU, there appears to be nothing about Iran’s missile program, or its support for proxies in the region, which was always a criticism of the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“It does appear to me that that the enrichment provisions will be critical. If there’s a longer period of no enrichment, then that would be an improvement, and I would say that if there is a very careful verification of the nuclear material that now exists in Iran, apparently under several 100 feet [30 metres] of rock, then that would be as good,” he said.

“If there is money flowing to Iran, from whatever source labelled in whatever way, that would be different than what was negotiated before, in which Iran received no funding, no sanctions relief until the final nuclear deal was actually signed.”

President Masoud Pezeshkian has shared details of how Iran agreed to the memorandum of understanding.

“After intensive discussions, nearly all members of the Majlis [Islamic Consultative Assembly] supported the text of the memorandum of understanding so that America’s true resolve to respect the rights of the Iranian nation could be tested in practice,” he wrote on X.

He said that Supreme Leader Motjaba Khamenei “played the greatest role in incorporating clauses to safeguard Iran’s national interests”.

Pezeshkian added that the MoU is the result of months of “dialogue and persistent follow-ups”, and an important step towards stopping war and beginning negotiations.

He noted that Iran “has prepared itself for all options” and said that if all of the MoU’s provisions are implemented, it could be considered “a document of pride for the country”.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have discussed the latest regional developments on the phone.

Aoun stressed that “Lebanon’s stability, security, and sovereignty remain a national priority” and said he hoped that the understanding between the US and Iran would “constitute a positive step toward reducing tensions and opening the door to diplomatic solutions”, the Lebanese presidency said in a statement.

“Araghchi also affirmed the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and the unity of its territories by all parties, expressing his aspiration that the positive atmosphere created by this understanding would contribute to supporting stability in Lebanon,” the statement added.

Netanyahu is speaking live at a news conference with Israeli reporters.

Claiming to have saved Israel from the danger of “nuclear destruction” by starting a joint US-Israel war on Iran, he claimed, “our struggle has not yet ended”.

Speaking about Lebanon, Netanyahu says Israel has “taken control of central areas” from which he claims Hezbollah threatened his country.

“We will remain in the security zones no matter what it takes,” Netanyahu told Israeli reporters in Hebrew.

Former Israeli prime minister and head of the Together alliance, Naftali Bennett, has called for a more aggressive campaign against Iran under new Israeli leadership, reports the Haaretz newspaper.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Bennett said the countdown for regime change in Iran would begin the moment Israel’s current government is replaced.

His comments suggest that any Israeli leadership change would not necessarily mean a move away from war, but rather a renewed push to escalate pressure on Tehran.

Bennett, who is seeking to replace Netanyahu in the coming election, also attacked his record. He said Netanyahu’s term “began with a civil war, continued with the October 7 … and is ending with a failure against Iran”.

As we’ve been reporting, Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking live to reporters in Hebrew.

“I did not err, and we have defined our goal, which is to remove the existential nuclear threat from Israel,” he said, promising that Israel would do whatever it takes to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu while speaking live to reporters in Hebrew:

“I did not err, and we have defined our goal, which is to remove the existential nuclear threat from Israel,” he said, promising that Israel would do whatever it takes to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Some highlights of Netanyahu’s news conference:

• We killed Iran’s leaders, severely damaged its security apparatus and saved Israel from the Iranian nuclear threat.
• We averted the danger of the destruction of Israel and its people, saving it from ruin, and our struggle is not yet over.
• We seized control of key areas in Lebanon from which Hezbollah threatened Israel. We will not allow terrorist organizations to establish a presence on our borders.
• There are occasional disagreements between Trump and me.
• I’m not sure about the details of the agreement between Washington and Tehran.
• The agreement with Iran was made by Trump; it was his decision, and we have our own interests.
• We will remain in the buffer zone in Lebanon. We are working to maintain and continue to enjoy freedom of military action.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has briefed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on the clause on the cessation of hostilities against Lebanon in the memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that Araghchi said the clause “must be implemented and applied literally immediately from day one and throughout the 60-day negotiation period, and that ensuring compliance with it is the responsibility of the United States of America and the guarantors of the memorandum of understanding”.

Iran plans to “maintain the level of readiness of the armed forces more than ever before” as the agreement with the US is put in place, said an Iranian army spokesperson.

“We will increase our defense capabilities during the agreement period,” reported the Fars news agency.

“If the enemy violates the agreement or memorandum of understanding, we will quickly and forcefully return the military situation in the region to the conditions before the agreement,” the statement added.

Now that Trump has something close to a political resolution to the war on Iran, he will probably want to have the full support of European and G7 partners, according to Fabrice Pothier, CEO of Rasmussen consultancy firm and a former policy planner for NATO.

The US president may even want operational support in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for business, Pothier says.

“That could be an opportunity indeed for reconciliation after a really pretty tough six months in the relationship between the G7 members and the United States,” he said.

Trump has little choice but to show up at the G7, Pothier added, but “that doesn’t mean that he’s going to engage in good faith and acknowledge that the European allies and the other G7 countries were reluctant to join a war that was launched without them being even briefed on the thinking process of this war and the planning”.

He may go wanting to squeeze something out of mostly the Europeans, and the Europeans are willing to play ball, Pothier said.

There are still many steps to go through, provided there’s a sound legal and political basis for the kind of post-war resolution, he concluded.

Israel is not bound by the US-Iran agreement and will continue attacking regional countries, says Gila Gamliel, a member of Israel’s political-security cabinet and science minister.

“We are not a party to the agreement, and from our perspective, we will continue until we achieve the goal of disarming Hezbollah,” she told Israel’s Channel 7 on Monday evening.

Her comments underline Israel’s refusal to accept limits on its military action despite the emerging regional ceasefire framework. Gamliel also said that Israel intends to continue occupying parts of Lebanon and will not allow residents to return to areas under Israeli control.

“Realistically, we are deeply entrenched inside Lebanon, and we do not intend to withdraw from the areas we have controlled up to the Litani River and Beaufort Castle, where the Israeli army enjoys complete freedom of movement, and we will not allow the population to return until Hezbollah is disarmed, because that is what protects our northern residents,” Gamliel said.

She also said Trump was “stalling to buy time”, pointing to the World Cup, his birthday celebrations, Independence Day and the midterm elections.

At least three Iranian oil tankers and two cargo ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz after the US announced the removal of its naval blockade as part of the deal signed with Iran, according to Iran’s Press TV.

The semi-official Fars news agency reported similar movements, including a very large crude carrier heading for Iranian ports.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that Israel should not accept it, and called for the military to continue to demolish houses in southern Lebanon and push back residents.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that it was bad for the world.

Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has joined a growing number of US Democrats criticising the US-Iran memorandum of understanding and the lack of clarity around it.

“If they’re spinning the Iran deal without showing any text, pretty good sign it’s worse than Obama’s Iran Nuclear Deal,” Sheldon posted on X.

California Senator Adam Schiff said the agreement delivered little for the US beyond reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which was already open before the US and Israel launched the war, and securing a commitment to negotiate a future agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

“Trump’s war of choice has been an enormous strategic loss for our country and only emboldens Iran,” Schiff said on X.

Jason Campbell, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, says that the memorandum of understanding offers a “path forward” for “more substantive talks to replace the violence”.

These talks will take place over the next 60 days, according to what has been reported about the agreement, Campbell added.

Notably, while Iran’s nuclear program remains on the table, the US appears to have dropped some demands from its initial 15-point plan, including “ending Iran’s ballistic missile program”, Campbell said.

“There’s no mention any more of ballistic missiles, or support for proxy groups, or some of these other points,” he said.

The most senior Democrat on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, has called for lawmakers to be briefed immediately on the terms of the agreement Trump struck with Iran.

“Congress must be immediately briefed on the terms of this agreement,” she said, adding that lawmakers would review any nuclear deal as required by law. Shaheen welcomed the turn towards diplomacy as “long overdue”, but said that the war’s central goals had not been met.

“President Trump did not have a plan going into the conflict on how to end it,” she said, citing his “ever-shifting statements”. She said the US had emerged weaker, pointing to the 14 service members killed and domestic inflation.

“There’s no question that America’s position is weaker now than at the beginning of the conflict,” she said.