US and Iran set June 19 signing for ceasefire deal, mediators say
Pakistan says the United States and Iran have agreed to end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and hold a signing ceremony in Switzerland.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
The United States and Iran are expected to sign an agreement on Friday aimed at ending more than 100 days of war, according to statements from Washington, Tehran and mediators. The deal matters because officials say it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end a US naval blockade affecting Iranian ports.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government has mediated indirect contacts between the two sides, announced on X on Sunday that an agreement had been reached. Sharif said the parties had agreed to an immediate and permanent halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the agreement shortly afterward on Truth Social, writing that the deal with Iran was complete. Trump said it allowed the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the immediate removal of the US naval blockade.
Trump earlier told The Washington Post that he planned to announce a US-Iran agreement soon, the newspaper reported. According to The Washington Post, Trump said the deal would be signed electronically, either by him or Vice President JD Vance.
Iran also confirmed progress. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said an end to military operations was expected soon, according to remarks carried by Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Gharibabadi said an immediate and permanent end to the war and military operations on several fronts, including Lebanon, would be announced from Monday. He said final negotiations would take place over 60 days, provided Iran verifies that the US has met its commitments, including ending hostilities, lifting the naval blockade and releasing frozen Iranian assets.
Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that the draft agreement contains 14 points. According to Mehr, the text includes a permanent end to hostilities, the lifting of the naval blockade within 30 days, a US commitment to pull forces back from around Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Mehr also reported that the draft calls for sanctions on oil sales to be suspended, nuclear issues to be settled within 60 days of signing, and $24bn in frozen Iranian assets to be released during that period. Al Jazeera said it could not independently verify the details reported by Mehr.
Mehr said final talks would not begin until half of Iran’s frozen assets had been released and restrictions affecting the Strait of Hormuz had been lifted. The agency also reported that Iran’s missile programme and its support for resistance groups had been removed from the negotiating agenda.
Qatar, another mediator, welcomed what its Ministry of Foreign Affairs described as an agreement on a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran. Qatar said the opening of the Strait of Hormuz would be an important step toward sustainable peace and economic growth in the region and beyond.
Sharif said the formal signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland, with technical meetings planned during the week. He thanked Qatar for its support and also cited contributions from Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.