Trump announces preliminary peace deal with Iran, orders opening of Strait of Hormuz on his 80th birthday

Announcement and immediate reaction

President Donald Trump declared on his Truth Social platform that a preliminary peace agreement with Iran had been reached, writing,

“The agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran is done. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and immediately authorize the lifting of the United States maritime blockade. Ships of the world, start your engines. Let oil flow!”

Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator, shortly before confirmed the deal on X, stating that both sides had agreed to an "immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." Iranian state television claimed the United States had been "forced to accept the end of the war," while deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi later acknowledged the agreement, though he insisted Iran would not sign until its final demands were met.

Core terms of the memorandum

The White House outlined a four‑pillar framework: reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, and establishing a verification mechanism. Iran would transfer and eliminate enriched nuclear material in exchange for a gradual lifting of sanctions and reintegration into the global economy, with no upfront financial transfers. The agreement, a memorandum of understanding, runs for 60 days, during which technical talks will address the nuclear file and sanctions relief. Both sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire across all active fronts, including Lebanon, where Israel had launched a retaliatory strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that nearly scuttled the deal.

Competing interpretations of the strait

While Trump insisted the Strait of Hormuz would be open without fees, Iran’s semi‑official Fars news agency reported that shipping in the Persian Gulf would be regulated by Iran in coordination with Oman. Earlier, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that the U.S. would lift sanctions on Iranian oil for a defined period, allowing Tehran to sell crude and receive revenues, and would not impose new sanctions until a final peace agreement. Iran’s deputy foreign minister stressed that the text of the agreement would not be published until after the signing ceremony and that

“Iran will not approve the agreement until its final demands are included.”

These conflicting statements underscore the fragility of the deal and the leverage Tehran retains over the waterway.

Mediation and the path to signature

Shehbaz Sharif played a central mediating role, hosting the first high‑level U.S.‑Iran meeting in Islamabad on 11‑12 April. He thanked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey for their support.

“After intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that a peace agreement between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been reached. The official signing ceremony will take place on Friday, 19 June, in Switzerland.”

Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News he intends to attend the ceremony, though President Trump, who is attending the G7 summit in Évian, France, may also appear. The Pakistani premier noted that pre‑implementation meetings this week will lay the groundwork for the technical talks.

Unresolved issues and regional fallout

The 60‑day memorandum postpones the most contentious issues—Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and the full removal of sanctions—to subsequent negotiations. Iran’s Gharibabadi warned that his country would respond to any violations and linked the deal’s progress to the recent Israeli strike on Beirut, which he said enabled last‑minute changes. The war, launched on 28 February by the U.S. and Israel, has roiled global energy markets; the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil transits, is expected to ease supply fears, though Iranian demands for service and environmental fees could complicate free passage.