US and Iran reach deal to open Hormuz, pause nuclear programme after Pakistan-brokered talks
After weeks of diplomacy led by Pakistan, the United States and Iran have agreed to a preliminary accord that reopens the Strait of Hormuz, halts uranium enrichment, and triggers a 60-day negotiation for a final peace agreement.
A breakthrough announced from Islamabad
Pakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on 14 June that US and Iranian negotiators had completed a memorandum of understanding, ending months of naval standoff and military escalation. The two sides held a digital signing the same day, with a formal ceremony scheduled for 19 June in Switzerland. The deal caps a frantic diplomatic effort that at times appeared close to collapse.
Both sides have declared an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including those in Lebanon.
The terms of the memorandum
The core provisions, confirmed by a senior Iranian official to Reuters, include the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial shipping and a US commitment to lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports. The blockade removal is to be completed within 30 days of the signing. Iran pledges not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons and to refrain from further uranium enrichment or expansion of nuclear facilities. The two countries will negotiate within 60 days how to dilute Iran's existing stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, with the work to be carried out on Iranian soil. Washington will suspend oil sanctions, allowing Tehran to sell crude and earn revenue, and will release $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets through direct transfers, regional cooperation and credit lines.
- Pakistan PM announces digital signing of memorandum between US and Iran
- Formal signing ceremony in Switzerland
- Deadline for US to complete naval blockade withdrawal (30 days from signing)
- Target deadline for final accord negotiation on nuclear programme and sanctions (60-day window)
Trump celebrates, blasts Netanyahu
The breakthrough triggered a triumphant response from President Donald Trump, just hours after he had vented fury at Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an air strike on Beirut that he said risked derailing the deal. In an interview with Axios, Trump said the attack lacked judgment and should not have happened when peace with Iran was so close.
Why did he have to do a fucking attack? I was so furious. I let him know. He has no fucking judgment.
Once Pakistan's premier confirmed the agreement, Trump posted on social media that he fully authorised the free opening of the Strait and the immediate withdrawal of the US naval blockade, adding: "Ships of the world, start your engines."
European powers offer sanctions relief
The leaders of Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Germany issued a joint statement welcoming the deal as a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilise the global economy. They urged rapid implementation, offered to lift their own sanctions if Iran takes clear and verifiable steps on its nuclear programme, and pledged to help guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait through a defensive naval mission.
We are ready to revoke relevant sanctions in response to clear and verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear programme. We will work intensively with the US, Iran and regional partners to seize this opportunity.
The road ahead: 60 days to a final deal
The memorandum is not a final accord but a gateway to phase two. Negotiators must now tackle the most sensitive details: a schedule for verified dilution of enriched uranium, the structure of sanctions relief, and guarantees that the ceasefire holds in Lebanon, where Iran insists Hezbollah must be covered by the truce. The 60-day clock is tight, and analysts note that any flare-up with Israel could unravel the fragile consensus. Trump's impatience and the regime's history of stalling add further uncertainty, but for now the Strait is set to reopen and the guns are, on paper, silent.
