Trump surprises with Iran peace deal after cancelling 'very hard' strikes, says signing in Europe this weekend
After a day of threats and military exchanges, Donald Trump abruptly cancelled planned attacks on Iran and announced a 'very good agreement' to end the war, with a signing ceremony likely in Europe this weekend with Vice President JD Vance.
From threats to breakthrough
The day began with a sharp escalation: US forces struck Iranian military capabilities, Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles on a US command centre in Jordan, and Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz. By early afternoon, President Trump threatened on Truth Social to hit Iran 'very hard' that evening and to seize the Kharg Island oil terminal, much as he claimed to have done with Venezuela. Yet within hours the tone shifted. Trump posted that he had cancelled the strikes because talks had been raised to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.
I have cancelled the strikes and bombardments scheduled against Iran for this evening … the discussions and final points have been approved by all parties involved, both in principle and in detail.
- US and Iran agree to a ceasefire
- US forces immobilize third tanker for violating naval blockade
- US strikes Iranian military targets; Iran retaliates with ballistic missiles on a base in Jordan and closes the Strait of Hormuz
- Iranian foreign ministry says ceasefire has been rendered ‘meaningless’; Qatari mediators leave Tehran
- Trump threatens ‘very hard’ attack for tonight and vows to seize Kharg Island
- Trump cancels planned strikes; says a deal is near, naval blockade remains, signing ceremony in Europe with Vance this weekend
- Trump declares ‘very good agreement’ to end the war with Iran, names 11 supporting nations
What the announced deal says
In a later Oval Office appearance, Trump declared a 'very good agreement to end the war with Iran' and explicitly stated that 'Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.' He listed eleven supporting nations: the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt. The final documents are expected within days, and a formal signing is likely in Europe, with Vice President JD Vance representing the US. The naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports, including the Strait of Hormuz, will stay fully in force until the agreement is finalised.
Contradictory signals from Tehran
Iran has not confirmed the deal. The foreign ministry issued no reaction to Trump's announcement, having earlier condemned the morning's US strikes as making the April 8 ceasefire 'practically meaningless.' Axios reported that Iranian officials assert any understanding still requires the final approval of Mojtaba Khamenei, the de facto supreme leader, and that no draft has yet been approved. Qatari mediators, who had been in Tehran since Wednesday, departed after talks that stretched into the early hours of Thursday without a clear breakthrough.
The illegal and criminal attacks committed by the US … have rendered the [April 8] ceasefire practically meaningless.
Military pressure and the oil chokepoint
The diplomatic overture comes amid intense military operations. US Central Command confirmed the immobilisation of a third tanker on 10 June for breaking the blockade, the ninth such incident since the operation began in April. Iran responded to the morning strikes by closing the Strait of Hormuz entirely 'until further notice' through its PGSA authority, a move that threatens global oil flows. Trump's earlier threat to take Kharg Island, which handles the bulk of Iran's crude exports, underscored the economic stakes.
What happens next
The gap between Trump's assertion of a done deal and the absence of any Iranian confirmation leaves the situation perilously fragile. If the documents are finalised and signed this weekend, the accord would represent the most significant diplomatic development in the region in years. For now, the naval blockade continues, the Strait of Hormuz remains shut, and the parties have not yet bridged the divide between a presidential announcement and a signed, ratified agreement.
