Islamabad/Washington | President Donald Trump has announced that the US and Iran have finalised a deal to end their 107-day war, which triggered a global energy crisis.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that his country would host the signing ceremony of the deal between the US and Iran in Switzerland on June 19.
However, the details of the peace deal were not immediately available.
"The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday evening, easing pressure on the global energy markets.
He said the deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway used to ferry one-fifth of the global oil supplies, and end the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
"I hereby fully authorise the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and, simultaneously, authorise the immediate removal of the US Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” Trump said.
However, in a subsequent post, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz will open on Friday after the official signing of the agreement.
The finalisation of the deal, on a day when Trump turned 80, capped a tumultuous week of war and diplomacy when the US carried out strikes on Iran and the US president, at the last minute, backed off a threat to take control of the Kharg Island, the oil export hub of the Islamic Republic.
“This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region. Many presidents have tried to make Peace with Iran, and all have failed before me,” he said.
“The Leaders of the Region have, for the first time, found a President who can help them achieve real Peace. With the opening of the Strait upon the signing of the Deal on Friday, for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends again for the Region, and the World,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the Israeli military will remain in southern Lebanon. He also threatened that if Iran strikes, Israel will hit Iran with “great force,” local media reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US was responsible for implementing the agreement, as well as a complete halt to the Israeli attacks against Lebanon, state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that the signing ceremony is scheduled for Friday, after which implementation mechanisms will gradually begin.
He said that Iran's commitments under the MoU are strictly conditional and reciprocal. Iran's measures will be fully aligned with the level of compliance shown by the other side, he added.
Gharibabadi said that a 60-day negotiation period will follow the signing, focusing exclusively on the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions, including unilateral, secondary, and international restrictions.
"Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED,” said the prime minister of Pakistan, which emerged as a key mediator in the US-Iran negotiations.
He added that both sides have declared the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
Shehbaz thanked the US and Iran for their commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict. He also extended sincere appreciation to Qatar, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia for their support.
“With the agreement now in place, mediators will facilitate a series of meetings this week. These pre-implementation discussions will lay the foundation for the technical talks and the official signing ceremony," he said in a post on X.
Briefing the National Assembly later, Shehbaz termed the US-Iran deal as a “historic milestone” of peace.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement of the deal between the US and Iran, describing it as a "critical step" towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
US Vice President J D Vance, American lawmakers and several Pakistani leaders hailed the announcement of the deal.
In a televised phone interview with Fox News on Sunday, Vance called the agreement with Iran "a big moment for the United States of America," but noted that more work needs to be done.
"This only happens, to be clear, if Iran delivers on their promise," Vance told Fox News. "So there's an approach here where we verify and where there are real benefits, so long as Iran meets their end of the obligation."
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna also welcomed the news and said it includes a provision for mutual respect of the US & Iran's sovereignty.
Welcoming the announcement, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari called it an "important step towards strengthening multilateralism".
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan looks forward to signing the peace agreement with the hope that it will bring peace to the region and beyond.
Dar, who is also the Foreign Minister, said that development sends a reassuring message to the international community and provides much-needed confidence and stability to global markets and the world economy, particularly for developing countries that are most vulnerable to regional instability.
The deal was negotiated through mediators that included Pakistan and Qatar, who initially got a two-week ceasefire agreement on April 8. The ceasefire was extended till the completion of the talks.
The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders.
Khamenei's son Mojtaba, who was elected as the new supreme leader, has not been seen in public since the war began.
Washington | US Vice President J D Vance will lead the delegation for the in-person signing of the US-Iran peace deal in Switzerland on Friday, President Donald Trump said on Monday.
President Trump and Vance both have electronically signed the framework agreement with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s lead negotiator, according to a senior US official quoted by The New York Times.
In media interviews here, Vance said the peace agreement was signed digitally on Sunday and its full text was likely to be made public later this week.
“We already signed the deal digitally yesterday (Sunday),” Vance said on the “Good Morning America” programme on ABC News.
In a media interaction in France, Trump said Vance will come in for the signing ceremony.
"I may be involved, I may not," the president said in response to a question on his presence at the signing ceremony.
The text of the Memorandum of Understanding will be released "pretty soon... sometime after Friday,” Trump said.
New Delhi | A Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier, chartered by an Indian firm, safely transited through the Strait of Hormuz -- the first Indian LNG tanker to cross the war-hit narrow shipping lane since the war in West Asia broke out more than three and a half months back.
LNG Carrier Disha, managed by a Shipping Corporation of India-led consortium and chartered by Petronet LNG Ltd, is also one of the first commercial vessels to transit the Strait since the announcement of a preliminary ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran.
The vessel is expected to arrive at Dahej in Gujarat -- the flagship import terminal of Petronet -- on June 18, said Upesh Kumar Sharma, Director in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Disha is carrying 62,370 tonnes of LNG, he said at a news briefing.
India meets about half of its natural gas demand through imports of LNG, with roughly 65 per cent of those supplies sourced from Gulf producers such as Qatar and shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway was effectively closed after the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering retaliatory action from Tehran and disrupting regional shipping. Qatar subsequently declared force majeure on LNG shipments to several buyers, including India.
Disha, one of the vessels chartered by Petronet LNG to transport Qatari cargoes, was among the ships stranded in the Strait during the conflict before successfully resuming its voyage to India.
"As we speak now, LNG carrier Disha, managed by a Shipping Corporation of India-led consortium, has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, and she is carrying 62,370 metric tons of LNG cargo," he said.
Sharma said 15 vessels -- comprising 10 Indian-flagged ships and five foreign-flagged vessels -- have safely crossed the strategic waterway so far, with the LNG carrier expected to be the latest to arrive in India.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, through the Directorate General of Shipping, remains in continuous coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, shipping companies and other stakeholders to ensure the safety of Indian seafarers and vessels operating in the region, he said.
Commenting on reports of an incident involving a tanker earlier this month, the official identified the vessel as Bochem Marengo, a Hong Kong-flagged oil and chemical tanker.
"All Indians on board remain safe. There is no injury or any other untoward incident on the crew of the vessel," he said.
The ministry is also handling cases involving Indian seafarers in distress and has activated support mechanisms, including the appointment of local agents where required. In one such case, a vessel reached shore on June 14, and the mortal remains of a deceased seafarer were transported to Oman for onward repatriation to India.
Sharma said around 18,000 Indian seafarers are currently employed across the wider Gulf region. A 24-hour helpline remains operational for seafarers and their families, while more than 3,500 seafarers have been safely repatriated so far.
According to the ministry, about 325 Indian seafarers are serving on Indian-flagged vessels operating west of the Strait of Hormuz, while 13 Indian ships are currently deployed in that area.
The Directorate General of Shipping has advised recruitment and placement service licence (RPSL) companies and other maritime stakeholders to exercise the highest degree of caution while operating in conflict zones and to comply with all prescribed security and safety protocols during transit.
The ministry is closely monitoring developments in coordination with all relevant agencies, including the Ministry of External Affairs, and will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves, Sharma added.
