US and Iran Reach Interim Deal to End 15-Week War and Reopen Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran have agreed to a tentative memorandum of understanding to end their 15-week military conflict, establishing a 60-day ceasefire and paving the way for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The breakthrough, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, halts a war that has killed thousands and severely disrupted global energy markets since late February.[3][4]

President Donald Trump announced the agreement on social media, declaring the deal "complete" and authorizing the immediate removal of the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports. "Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!" Trump wrote, framing the accord as a definitive victory that secures toll-free passage through the critical maritime chokepoint.[1][5]

The framework, which was signed electronically by Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, is scheduled for a formal signing ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday. Under the terms of the interim agreement, Iran will clear naval mines from the strait, allowing commercial vessels to resume transit without facing tolls or military harassment.[2][3]

The economic relief was immediate. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, fell more than 5 percent to $82.84 a barrel following the announcement, while global stock markets rallied. Prior to the conflict, roughly 20 percent of the world's seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the 21-mile-wide strait daily, and its effective closure had sent shockwaves through supply chains and inflation metrics worldwide.[4]

Despite the optimism from Washington and Islamabad, the memorandum of understanding is an interim step rather than a final peace treaty. The document establishes a 60-day window for technical negotiations to address the most intractable issues, chief among them Iran's nuclear program. Trump has insisted the agreement will permanently prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, suggesting the U.S. will oversee the extraction and destruction of Iran's highly enriched uranium.[1][6][7]

However, Iranian officials and state media have presented a vastly different narrative, portraying the deal as a capitulation by the United States. Iranian state television broadcast banners claiming the U.S. was "forced to sign an agreement to end the war." Tehran's primary focus in the initial phase is securing immediate economic benefits, including the lifting of the naval blockade, access to frozen funds, and sanctions relief, before entering complex nuclear talks.[3][8]

The agreement has already sparked domestic backlash within Iran. In the northeastern city of Mashhad, hardline protesters gathered outside a foreign ministry office, chanting slogans against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The demonstrators argued that by agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iran surrendered its most potent leverage over the West without securing permanent guarantees on sanctions relief.[1][8]

Perhaps the most volatile complication to the ceasefire lies outside of the U.S.-Iran bilateral relationship. While the memorandum reportedly includes a provision to end military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, the Israeli government has explicitly rejected those terms. Israel, which joined the U.S. in launching strikes in late February, was not a party to the negotiations.[2][3]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have stated that the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from southern Lebanon and do not consider themselves bound by the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Israel intends to maintain its military campaign against Hezbollah, a stance that could easily scuttle the broader regional de-escalation if Iran decides that Israeli strikes violate the spirit of the Geneva agreement.[1][3]

For now, the international community is breathing a sigh of relief. Leaders from the G7 and the European Commission welcomed the diplomatic breakthrough, urging swift implementation to restore freedom of navigation. Yet foreign policy analysts warn that the "delta" between the interim memorandum and a final, binding treaty remains vast. If the 60-day technical talks collapse over nuclear inspections or Israeli military actions, the Strait of Hormuz could quickly become a war zone once again.[4][7]