U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had signed an agreement with Iran. The agreement involves Iran diluting its highly enriched uranium stockpile, while the U.S. would lift sanctions on Iran, allowing the country to freely sell its oil. The deal, mediated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is set to take immediate effect after leaders from both nations signed it, with a formal ceremony planned for Friday.
The agreement includes provisions for opening the Strait of Hormuz toll-free for two months and reaffirming Lebanon’s territorial integrity in response to Israel’s actions against the Hezbollah militant group. The terms of the agreement were disclosed by U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity. Iranian state TV later released a text that closely mirrored the U.S. version.
President Trump signed the agreement while in Versailles, France, after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. A video posted online shows Trump signing the document alongside Macron, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio receiving the signed agreement.
In Tehran, President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the deal on behalf of Iran, as confirmed by the state-run IRNA news agency. The agreement stipulates that Iran will refrain from developing or procuring nuclear weapons and downgrade its highly enriched uranium on-site. In return, the U.S. will partially lift sanctions against Iran once the deal is finalized. The agreement also guarantees toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz for a limited period and emphasizes Lebanon’s territorial integrity following recent conflicts.
The interim agreement has raised concerns in Washington and may face opposition, particularly from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The deal aims to restore pre-war conditions, cease hostilities, and reopen critical waterways for global trade, such as the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump hinted at the possibility of reverting to military action if Iran fails to comply with the agreement.
Furthermore, the agreement offers concessions to Iran, including lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, facilitating oil sales, and potentially removing all sanctions in the future. It also provides financial aid to Iran for post-war reconstruction, subject to further negotiations. The terms of the agreement far exceed those of the previous 2015 nuclear deal, which focused on Iran reducing its uranium enrichment capabilities in exchange for limited sanction relief.
The agreement’s details and implications are likely to be closely scrutinized in the coming days, with potential ramifications for regional geopolitics and international relations.