The United States and Iran reached an initial agreement on June 14, 2026, aimed at extending a fragile ceasefire, ending their war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump authorized removal of the US naval blockade, although he later said the waterway would not reopen until a planned signing on Friday.
Appearing on Iranian state television, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi acknowledged the deal. He said Tehran would wait for signatures before putting it into effect. Pakistan, a principal mediator, said the ceremony would take place in Switzerland, while Gharibabadi credited talks involving Qatar.
The details had not been released, and the preliminary memorandum faced major obstacles. Negotiators allowed 60 days to address Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium and its broader nuclear program, with a possible extension if no resolution emerged. Comparable issues took years to negotiate in the 2015 nuclear agreement, from which Trump withdrew the United States during his first term.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said both sides had declared an immediate and permanent end to military operations on every front, including Lebanon. It remained unclear whether Israel accepted that provision. Israel had joined the United States in launching the war on Feb. 28 and continued striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon while talks proceeded.
Israeli forces bombed Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday, saying they targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in response to attacks in northern Israel. Those strikes nearly disrupted negotiations, according to the AP report. Israel, which occupied southern Lebanon and expanded operations there, did not immediately comment on the tentative US-Iran arrangement.
Qatari mediators left Tehran after 17 hours of negotiations and planned separate preparatory meetings with each side in Doha. The identity of Iran's intended signatory remained unclear. US Vice President JD Vance said he planned to attend, while leaving open the possibility that Trump might go.
Political doubts also surfaced in Washington. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said American and Iranian descriptions of the accord appeared different. Representative Gregory Meeks, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Congress would scrutinize any agreement.
The prospective opening of Hormuz offered immediate economic relief after more than three months of war and a severe energy crisis. Brent crude fell by more than $4 a barrel following the announcement, and Asian stock markets rose. The strait is a critical route for global oil and natural-gas shipments.
The initial agreement set a pathway rather than a completed settlement. Implementation still depended on signatures, while disputes over nuclear material, Israeli operations and the scope of the ceasefire could derail it before the naval blockade and Iranian restrictions were fully removed.
