Donald Trump declared a breakthrough peace agreement with Iran on Sunday evening, marking an end to nearly four months of regional conflict. The announcement came via Trump's Truth Social account, where he celebrated the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of US naval blockades with characteristic flourish: "Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the accord hours earlier, stating that both nations had agreed to "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." A formal signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland, according to Sharif's announcement on X.
The deal marks a dramatic reversal after months of escalating tensions. The Strait of Hormuz, which carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquid gas supplies before the conflict, will return to unrestricted international shipping. Iran will gain the ability to sell oil again, providing economic relief to a nation facing severe financial strain. In exchange, the US removes its blockade of Iranian commerce.
The agreement emerged despite significant obstacles. On the day of the announcement, Israeli forces struck Beirut, killing three and injuring six. The operation targeted what Israel said were senior Hezbollah commanders after the militant group fired three projectiles into northern Israel. The timing proved explosive for negotiations, with Iranian military officials issuing stark warnings.
Gen Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy commander of Iran's joint command headquarters, declared that "These crimes will not go unanswered." Iran's top military command added that it had its "finger on the trigger" and was ready to strike the "enemy's heart." Tehran's foreign ministry held the United States responsible for the Israeli attack and pledged a "strong response."
Trump himself criticized the Israeli strike, telling Axios that it had "delayed the signing by a few hours" and that he had expressed his displeasure with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in blunt terms.
Full details of the agreement remain opaque. The memorandum of understanding negotiated by Qatari mediators does not appear to address major sticking points, most notably Iran's nuclear programme. Those issues are reserved for more comprehensive negotiations over a 60-day window. Observers have cast doubt on whether such complex matters can be resolved in that timeframe, noting that the 2015 nuclear accord took roughly ten times longer to negotiate.
The emerging deal has triggered sharp criticism from Israel. Opposition centers on the absence of provisions constraining Iran's ballistic missile arsenal or its support for regional militant groups like Hezbollah. Netanyahu, who has publicly backed Trump, now faces mounting pressure from within his own government and faces a challenging re-election battle later in the year.
Avi Ashkenazi, writing in the Israeli newspaper Maariv, called the draft accord "a colossal failure" and said "Iran has undisputedly emerged as the big winner." Jacob Nagel, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu, characterized the deal as "a big mistake."
Even Republican critics have piled on, with some pointing to domestic fuel prices and unpopular military commitments as reasons to question the arrangement.
Practical challenges loom. Even with the strait officially reopened, safe passage for trapped shipping is far from guaranteed. Infrastructure damaged during the conflict will require months to fully repair. Trump is expected to address mine-clearing operations during the G7 summit beginning Monday, and analysts warn that economic relief will arrive slowly even if the waterway becomes accessible.
Author James Rodriguez: "The deal moves fast enough to be historic, yet comes burdened with enough unresolved nuclear issues to potentially collapse within 60 days."
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