The United States and Iran reached an agreement Sunday to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced, with a formal signing ceremony set for June 19 in Switzerland.
“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!”
Trump announced on his 80th birthday, just hours before hosting a White House UFC event, which was billed as celebrating the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
Pakistan, a key mediator in the talks, announced the agreement after more than 14 hours of negotiations in Tehran involving a representative from Qatar, another mediator. Sharif announced the deal minutes before Trump’s statement, saying both sides had declared “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
Iranian state TV showed a banner asserting the U.S. “was forced to sign an agreement to end the war.” There was no public statement from the Iranian leadership at the time of the announcement.
The conflict began Feb. 28 with the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and U.S.-Israeli strikes across Iran. A ceasefire in April allowed negotiations to proceed, though both sides continued some strikes as a dispute over the Strait of Hormuz remained unresolved.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20% of the world’s oil passed before the war, is set to reopen upon the signing of the deal. Oil prices fell to their lowest level since March on Monday following the announcement.
The memorandum of understanding is structured around 14 points. Full details of the agreement were not immediately available, but Iranian state media reported an estimated $24 billion in frozen Iranian funds are to be unfrozen, with half released before final negotiations begin. Those negotiations will have a 60-day window and focus on nuclear weapons development, remaining sanctions and United Nations Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency resolutions regarding Iran.
The two sides offered conflicting accounts of what comes next. Iran’s deputy foreign minister said the 60-day nuclear negotiations will not begin until the U.S. releases billions in frozen funds, a condition a U.S. official rejected.
Iran has maintained its nuclear program is peaceful and has not publicly committed to surrendering its enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under three nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. strikes last year. Russia has previously offered to take custody of the uranium.
Israel, which had been sidelined from the negotiations, had not commented on the agreement as of Sunday. Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs hours before news of the deal broke, posing a late threat to the talks. Trump described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “a very difficult guy.”
European leaders also weighed in. France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement saying they are “prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear program.” It stressed their readiness to work with the U.S., Iran and the IAEA. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the agreement “a hugely important step forward in ending the war.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz called the deal a success on X, saying Trump “maximized our leverage, limited casualties and brought credible military force to ensure the best possible outcome.”
