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US and Iran agree deal to end war; signing expected Friday
The US and Iran have agreed a deal to end the war, which mediator Pakistan says will be signed in Switzerland this week.
By Nathan Morley
The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to end the war, a breakthrough Pakistan says will be formally signed on Friday in Switzerland, marking what mediators describe as the most credible step toward peace after months of stalled efforts and false starts.
President Donald Trump said the deal includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key demand for Washington since the conflict began. In Tehran, the deputy foreign minister announced on state television that an agreement had been secured, while Iran’s top military leadership hailed the outcome as a victory for the country.
Pakistan, which announced late Sunday that the deal had been reached, said the agreement would halt “military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” Israel has not yet issued a formal response. However, on Monday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israel Defence Forces intended to maintain their presence in Lebanon “without any time restraints,” signalling that Israeli operations there would continue despite the wider cease-fire framework.
The war erupted on Feb. 28, when U.S. and Israeli strikes hit targets across Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile attacks on Israel and U.S.-aligned states in the Gulf. The conflict quickly spread, drawing in regional actors and raising fears of a broader confrontation.
For Iran’s Arab Gulf neighbours, there is now what diplomats describe as a “sense of relief.” The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were all struck by Iranian missiles during the fighting, and officials in the region have been urging a negotiated end to the conflict for weeks.
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the agreement a “highly significant development,” saying it would help restore “security and stability” across the Middle East and beyond.
European markets reacted positively to news of the framework deal. Stocks opened higher on Monday, with Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 both up about 1.7% as investors welcomed signs of de-escalation.
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