The United States and Iran have officially reached a peace agreement, bringing an end to months of military conflict and immediately halting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports.
President Trump announced the finalization of the pact on Sunday in a post on Truth Social. “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” Trump wrote. He stated that he fully authorized the “toll free opening” of the highly contested Strait of Hormuz, as well as the immediate removal of the naval blockade. The president ended his announcement with a message to global maritime commerce: “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!”
The Sunday declaration caps off a weekend of intense negotiations and conflicting timelines. On Saturday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, acting as the lead mediator, accurately predicted that the finalization of the agreement was expected within 24 hours. Pakistan had spent the weekend preparing for an electronic signing ceremony, followed by technical-level talks scheduled for next week.
Prior to Trump’s announcement, Iranian officials had pushed back on the idea of a Sunday resolution. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media on Saturday that the signing would not happen the next day, citing a need for caution. The two sides also publicly clashed over the terms of the agreement. Trump claimed the deal guarantees a “WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON,” stating U.S. forces would eventually retrieve and destroy “nuclear dust” buried under granite mountains from earlier B-2 bomber strikes. He also noted that “no money will exchange hands” regarding frozen Iranian assets. In contrast, Baghaei claimed the current text focused strictly on ending the war and did not address nuclear issues, though separate reports earlier in the week indicated a planned 15-to-20-year nuclear enrichment lockout.
The breakthrough follows a tense final few days of active conflict on the water. Just a day before the deal was struck, the U.S. military shot down several Iranian attack drones in the Strait of Hormuz that were apparently targeting commercial vessels. Before the blockade was lifted on Sunday, U.S. Central Command reported it had redirected a total of 141 vessels and used rocket fire to disable nine non-compliant ships.
The blockade’s enforcement had generated significant international friction. Earlier in the week, a U.S. strike on the engine room of the oil tanker M/T Settebello killed three Indian nationals after the ship reportedly ignored commands to stop. India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the use of lethal force against civilian shipping “unacceptable,” lodging a formal protest. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the action, stressing that violations of the blockade would not be tolerated.
With the blockade now over and the Strait of Hormuz reopened, international efforts are pivoting toward recovery and cleanup. Trump is scheduled to discuss a demining strategy for the critical waterway with allies at the Group of Seven summit in France, which begins on Monday. Both Britain and France have indicated they are willing to assist in clearing the waters. Trump is also set to hold sideline meetings with leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
As peace takes effect globally, Iran is preparing for a major transition domestically. A multi-day funeral for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike at the beginning of the war in February, will commence on July 4. State media reported he will be buried on July 9 at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad.
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