U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Nears Signing Amid Fresh Israeli Strikes on Beirut and Hardliner Opposition

The United States and Iran are reportedly hours away from signing a landmark memorandum of understanding to end their three-month war, a conflict that has paralyzed global shipping and triggered a worldwide energy crisis. Mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, the proposed agreement would reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, and establish a framework for dismantling Tehran's nuclear program.[4][6]

President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that the deal was scheduled to be signed on Sunday, declaring that the waterway would be "open to all" immediately afterward. The administration has touted the agreement as a definitive end to Iran's nuclear ambitions, with provisions for the U.S. to eventually extract and destroy highly enriched Iranian uranium.[4][6]

However, the fragile diplomatic progress was violently jolted on Sunday when the Israeli military launched fresh airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut's southern suburbs. The attack, which Lebanese civil defense officials said killed three people and wounded six, sent smoke billowing over the capital and triggered immediate threats of retaliation from Tehran.[2][5]

The strikes infuriated the White House, which has been pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt operations in Lebanon while the peace deal is finalized. In a blunt interview with Axios, President Trump reportedly declared that Netanyahu has "no fucking judgment," though he insisted the U.S.-Iran agreement remains on track.[1][5]

Taking to Truth Social, Trump publicly urged restraint, writing that "all sides should stand down" and warning that the region was too close to a "long and beautiful peace" to blow it now. He cautioned both Israel against further attacks in Lebanon and Hezbollah against striking Israeli territory.[2][4]

The Israeli government, which has been largely sidelined in the Pakistan-led negotiations, views the emerging deal with deep skepticism. Netanyahu's office defended the Beirut strikes as a necessary response to Hezbollah projectiles fired into northern Israel, asserting that the country will not tolerate attacks on its territory regardless of the broader diplomatic timeline.[5]

Inside Iran, the proposed agreement faces fierce resistance from conservative factions. Hardline lawmakers and protesters have mounted a vociferous campaign against the deal, arguing that it forces Tehran to surrender its primary strategic leverage—control over the Strait of Hormuz—without guaranteeing sufficient sanctions relief.[2][7]

Dozens of protesters gathered outside a Foreign Ministry office in Mashhad, chanting slogans against top Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi. Iranian MP Mahmoud Nabavian publicly criticized the draft text, claiming it was more damaging than previous versions and represented a capitulation to American demands.[7][8]

Iranian officials involved in the negotiations have also cast doubt on the immediate timeline. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated that while an agreement is close, a Sunday signing is unlikely. Meanwhile, Iran's parliamentary speaker warned that the Israeli strikes on Beirut demonstrate that the U.S. either lacks the will or the ability to fulfill its commitments.[5][8]

The stakes of the negotiations extend far beyond the Middle East. The three-month war has severely disrupted global supply chains, and the economic fallout is set to dominate the upcoming G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France.[3]

European allies, who have occasionally clashed with the Trump administration over the handling of the conflict, are desperate for a resolution that stabilizes energy markets. The U.K. and France are reportedly working to build a coalition to assist with demining the Strait of Hormuz once the peace deal is officially implemented.[3]

Under the reported terms of the draft memorandum, the U.S. would waive oil sanctions on Iran for a specified period and release approximately $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets. In exchange, Iran would commit to maintaining the nuclear status quo during a 60-day technical discussion period, ultimately leading to the dilution or removal of its enriched uranium.[2][6]

As Qatari negotiators arrive in Tehran for a final push, the international community watches nervously. The coming days will determine whether the U.S. and Iran can finalize a historic truce or if the latest violence in Lebanon will unravel months of painstaking diplomacy.[2][4]