END OF THE WAR: Trump and Iran announce the long-awaited peace agreement and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after nearly four months of conflict

President Donald Trump announced this Sunday that his administration and the Iranian regime had finally reached the long-awaited peace agreement, and stated that he was authorizing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade," Trump declared in a post on his Truth Social platform, in which he also hinted that maritime traffic and energy shipments through this strategic waterway would resume, writing: "Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed during a phone call on his country’s state television that the agreement with the United States has been finalized and that the official signing will take place next Friday in Switzerland. “Tonight, the immediate and permanent end to the war and military operations on various fronts, including Lebanon, will be announced,” Gharibabadi stated, adding that the U.S. naval blockade against Iran will also be lifted tonight.

The statements by Trump and the Iranian deputy minister came just minutes after Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, announced that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had successfully reached a peace agreement between the two countries following weeks of diplomatic efforts in which Islamabad played a mediating role. In a message posted on X, Sharif stated that both governments agreed to immediately end military operations on all fronts of the conflict, including Lebanon, and noted that an official signing ceremony is scheduled for June 1 in Switzerland.

“Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED. Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. The official signing ceremony will be on Friday, 19 June in Switzerland. We would like to thank the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran for their commitment to seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict,” Sharif wrote.

The Pakistani leader added: “We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to our brothers in this mediation effort, the great leadership of the State of Qatar, for their support in reaching this agreement. I would also especially thank the visionary leadership of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Republic of Türkiye for their immense contributions in this regard. 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.”

A day filled with uncertainty

The announcement comes after a day marked by uncertainty surrounding the negotiations. President Trump had previously indicated that a peace agreement could be finalized on Sunday, but tensions rose after Israel carried out an airstrike against Lebanon earlier that same day, leaving three dead and 15 wounded. The Israeli military stated that the operation targeted a Hezbollah command center after the Iran-backed group fired rockets toward northern Israel.

The attack drew criticism from Iranian negotiators, who argued that the incident cast doubt on Washington’s commitment to the diplomatic process. According to reports, the chief Iranian negotiator warned that the attack demonstrated that the United States was not fulfilling its obligations and suggested that it “made no sense” to continue the talks “down this path.”

Later, Trump distanced himself from the Israeli operation and stated that the attack “should not have happened,” especially at what he described as a crucial moment for the negotiations. Similarly, the Republican president maintained that he still expected the agreement to be finalized “in the next two or three hours.”