On Sunday, June 14, 2026, the United States and Iran reached a historic agreement to end military operations immediately and permanently across all fronts, including Lebanon. This marks the strongest signal yet that the Middle East war, ongoing for over three months, is nearing its conclusion. A formal signing ceremony is scheduled for Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, though many details remain under wraps.

President Donald Trump celebrated the breakthrough on his Truth Social platform shortly after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the mediator, announced the deal. Trump initially authorized the immediate reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade but later clarified that the waterway would reopen only after the official signing in Switzerland.

Sharif credited Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey for their leadership in the mediation process, emphasizing the collaborative international effort behind the agreement. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the memorandum’s final approval and announced that the U.S. naval blockade would begin lifting early Monday, June 15. However, he stressed ongoing distrust toward Washington and pledged close monitoring of U.S. compliance.

The Iranian news agency Mehr revealed that the draft agreement includes the unfreezing of $25 billion in Iranian assets during the negotiation period. Meanwhile, the G7 powers began discussions on June 15 in Evian, France, to assess the implications of the deal and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The E4 countries—United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy—expressed readiness to lift sanctions on Iran contingent on nuclear program measures, reaffirming their commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The peace process faced a near-collapse after an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon caused casualties, retaliating against a drone attack allegedly by Hezbollah, which denied involvement. Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf condemned the Israeli attack as evidence of U.S. unwillingness or inability to honor commitments. Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly, calling him “a guy with no f***ing judgment” in an Axios interview, though Netanyahu later spoke with Trump by phone.

Despite tensions, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council endorsed continuing dialogue “under dignified conditions.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the Beirut bombings, highlighting their devastating impact amid critical peace efforts. Former U.S. President Barack Obama expressed skepticism about the new deal’s potential to surpass the 2015 agreement, while Robert Malley, Obama’s former Iran envoy, welcomed the memorandum as a strong condemnation of the preceding war that has cost thousands of lives, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.

Israel has yet to respond officially to the announcement and maintains it is not part of the U.S.-Iran agreement. As this complex peace process unfolds, the world watches closely, hopeful for a lasting resolution to a conflict that has deeply affected millions.