Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Jun 15: The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, raising hopes of easing pressure on the global economy more than three months after hostilities began.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday, though full details of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the breakthrough and announced that he had authorised an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
“Congratulations to all! Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” Trump wrote on social media, while refraining from revealing specific terms of the agreement.
The United States had earlier indicated that it was prepared to ease restrictions on Iranian ports and relax sanctions to allow Iran to increase oil exports and support its struggling economy.
Iranian state television hailed the development with a banner stating that the United States had been “forced to sign an agreement to end the war”. However, Tehran had not officially commented on the deal at the time of reporting.
According to Iranian state media, key mediator Pakistan announced that both sides had agreed to the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon. Mediators are expected to facilitate further meetings this week to begin technical discussions on implementing the agreement.
The deal comes despite criticism from several quarters. While it is expected to restore conditions that largely existed before the conflict, the war left thousands dead and highlighted Iran’s ability to influence global trade through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway is a critical route for the shipment of crude oil, natural gas and related products, and its effective closure severely disrupted global energy markets.
Despite the conflict, several of the objectives cited by the United States and Israel at the start of military operations remain unresolved. Iran continues to possess a missile programme, maintains ties with regional armed groups such as Hezbollah, and retains a stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The war began on February 28 with strikes that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. His son subsequently assumed the role of Supreme Leader and reportedly approved the agreement.
Iran had insisted that any ceasefire arrangement should also address fighting in Lebanon, where Israeli military operations against Hezbollah intensified during the conflict. Tehran has additionally sought the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets.
The emerging agreement has faced opposition from the Israeli government as well as critics within Trump’s Republican Party, some of whom argued that it offered little improvement over the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement that Trump withdrew from during his first term.
Signs of internal debate also emerged within Iran before the announcement. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged national unity and criticised those who labelled negotiators as traitors, warning that internal divisions could weaken the country's bargaining position.
A major unresolved issue remains Iran’s nuclear programme. Tehran has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear activities are peaceful and has sought to separate discussions on its nuclear ambitions from negotiations aimed at ending the war.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran possesses 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity, placing it a short technical step away from weapons-grade levels. The enriched uranium is believed to be stored at three nuclear facilities that were heavily damaged in US strikes during the conflict.
The fate of the uranium stockpile remains uncertain. While Russia has offered to take custody of the material, US officials have at various times called either for its removal from Iran or its complete destruction.
With the agreement now in place, attention is expected to shift toward implementation of the ceasefire, restoration of regional stability and future negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.