Web Desk: The United States and Iran have reached a preliminary agreement to end months of conflict and restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a breakthrough that could ease regional tensions and stabilise global energy markets while leaving the future of Tehran’s nuclear program to a new round of negotiations.
The framework agreement, which officials described as a memorandum of understanding, represents the most significant diplomatic progress since the conflict erupted following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year.
A formal signing ceremony is scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday.
President Donald Trump announced that the agreement had been finalized, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government played a mediation role, confirmed that both sides had agreed to halt military operations.
According to statements from Pakistani and Iranian officials, the arrangement calls for an immediate and permanent cessation of military activity across all fronts, including Lebanon, a key flashpoint that had complicated negotiations in recent weeks.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council also indicated that military operations would cease under the agreement beginning Monday night.
The development marks a major diplomatic achievement after months of fighting that left thousands dead and disrupted regional stability.
Meanwhile, one of the most consequential elements of the agreement involves the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
The waterway, which carries a significant share of global oil and gas exports, has faced severe disruptions during the conflict, contributing to higher energy prices and market uncertainty.
Trump said commercial shipping would resume following the signing ceremony and announced that the United States would end its blockade of Iranian ports as part of the arrangement.
The prospect of renewed maritime traffic immediately boosted investor confidence. Brent crude prices fell sharply in early Asian trading while regional stock markets advanced on expectations of improved energy flows and reduced geopolitical risk.
However, negotiators have postponed the most contentious issue—the future of Iran’s nuclear activities.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said both sides would use a 60-day ceasefire period to pursue a broader agreement addressing sanctions, nuclear concerns and other unresolved issues.
Sources familiar with the talks said the framework does not immediately resolve questions surrounding uranium enrichment, inspection regimes or the disposition of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Instead, negotiators have agreed to continue discussions during the coming weeks in an effort to reach a more comprehensive settlement.
The economic dimension of the negotiations is expected to feature prominently in upcoming talks.
Prior to the announcement, Iranian officials indicated that discussions included the potential release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets as part of a future settlement.
Western governments have signaled that sanctions relief could be considered if Iran takes verifiable steps to address international concerns regarding its nuclear program.
The announcement drew a positive response from several European capitals.
Britain, France, Germany and Italy said they were prepared to support diplomatic efforts aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities and reducing regional tensions.
Leaders emphasized the importance of restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while reiterating that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.
Notably, there was no immediate official reaction from Israel, which has not been a participant in the U.S.-Iran negotiations.
The agreement follows weeks of disagreement between Washington and Jerusalem over military operations in Lebanon, where Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued exchanging attacks despite international calls for restraint.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that Israel must preserve operational freedom in Lebanon, while Iran had insisted that a ceasefire there form part of any broader settlement.
Those differences remain among the most significant challenges facing implementation of the agreement.
The accord arrives amid growing domestic pressure in the United States, where rising energy prices and prolonged military involvement had become increasingly contentious political issues ahead of congressional elections.
At the same time, Trump faced competing demands from within his own party, with some lawmakers insisting that any agreement must ultimately eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham welcomed the breakthrough but stressed that future negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities would face close scrutiny in Congress.
With the framework now in place, diplomats will focus on translating the ceasefire into a durable peace arrangement.
The upcoming negotiations are expected to determine the future of Iran’s nuclear program, the scope of sanctions relief and the mechanisms required to ensure compliance by all parties.
For now, however, the agreement has delivered the first major sign of de-escalation in a conflict that has shaken the Middle East, disrupted global energy supplies and raised fears of a wider regional war.
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