Trump announces deal with Iran is ‘now complete’

JTA –US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that a deal to end the war with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is “now complete”. 

“Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorise the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorise the immediate removal of the United States naval blockade,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” 

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has played a key mediating role in talks between the US and Iran, also announced that a deal had been reached minutes before Trump made his post, adding that an official signing ceremony would take place on Friday in Switzerland. 

“Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” Sharif wrote in a post on X. 

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council also published a statement on state-affiliated media outlets Press TV and Tasnim News Agency confirming its acceptance of the Memorandum of Understanding reached between Tehran and Washington on Sunday. 

While the deal’s details have not yet been publicly announced, it is expected to extend a ceasefire between Iran and the US for 60 days, during which the countries will negotiate a broader agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear programme. 

Trump told The New York Times on Sunday that he would renew military strikes on Iran if a nuclear agreement is not finalised. 

Sunday’s agreement is expected to end both the Iran war, which began with Israeli and US military strikes on 28 February, as well as the Israel-Lebanon war that started days later when Hezbollah attacked Israel. 

A shaky ceasefire has been in place on the Iranian front since 8 April, while the Lebanon war has continued. Israeli and Lebanese officials are working out the details of an agreement to end hostilities. 

Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu had hoped that an agreement ending the fighting between the United States and Iran would not hamper Israel’s ability to counter Hezbollah attacks against northern Israeli communities or pursue the Iranian proxy group, including in its stronghold of Beirut. 

Tehran, however, had linked reaching a Memorandum of Understanding with Washington with Israeli activity in Lebanon, warning that it would retaliate for any Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut. 

Earlier on Sunday, Israel launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut in response to an attack on Israel, prompting Iran to vow retaliation and drawing a sharp rebuke from Trump, who said the strikes had “delayed the signing by a few hours”. 

“Why did Bibi have to do a fucking attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no fucking judgement. I let him know that,” Trump told Axios on Sunday. 

Netanyahu didn’t immediately put out a statement on the agreement, which was announced after midnight in Israel. Earlier in the day, he had posted a message on X celebrating Trump’s birthday.