US-Iran peace deal: Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said President Donald Trump made the US-Iran deal to end the war in the Middle East "out of desperation" as the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iran and oil tankers resumed sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said on X that the blockade had ended "in accordance with the President's direction", while some US vessels would remain "in the general area".

The interim deal has taken effect, starting a 60-day period for further talks, though key issues remain unresolved. Trump said he expected a ceasefire on all fronts, including between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, and hoped countries in the region would allow negotiations to continue. However, Israel continued its war against Hezbollah, raising doubts about the agreement's durability.

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In his first response to the agreement, Khamenei said he had approved the deal despite having a "different view", without elaborating, after receiving assurances from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that he would "protect the rights of the Iranian nation". Khamenei said that while there would be "in-person negotiations in the future" between Tehran and Washington, this "will not mean acceptance of the enemy's position". 

In a written message, he also warned: "If the American side wants to be too demanding, we will not accept it." This is the first time he has responded to the agreement. He has not been seen in public since taking office in March after the killing of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the February 28 US-Israeli strikes on Iran that triggered the regional war.

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The US-Iran deal is based on 14 core points, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran never having a nuclear weapon, and a commitment to a $300 billion fund for Iran's reconstruction and economic development, though the US is not required to contribute. Both sides aim to reach a final deal within 60 days, extendable by mutual consent. Vice-President JD Vance said the Memorandum of Understanding had come into force and the 60-day period for talks had begun.

An official signing ceremony planned in Switzerland was cancelled as the deal had been signed remotely. US and Iranian representatives are expected to meet in Switzerland for further talks. Vance said he might travel there for technical negotiations but did not confirm when, noting Iran was "not an easy country to get out of". A White House spokesperson later said Vance would not depart that night but the US looked forward to starting technical talks soon.

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Vance defended the deal amid criticism, saying Iran would not receive money or sanctions relief unless it met its obligations. The MoU requires Iran to destroy its enriched uranium stockpile and prove it will not fund proxy groups in the region. He criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet members for attacking the deal, saying they should "wake up and smell the reality" and warned against attacking the US, Israel's only powerful ally.

Some Republican allies questioned if Trump conceded too much to end an unpopular conflict. Senator Bill Cassidy called the agreement the "worst foreign policy blunder in decades" and said Iran's nuclear ambitions were not curbed, adding they learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works. Khamenei said upcoming talks on Iran's nuclear programme would not be easy.

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The deal's early impact was seen in energy markets, with oil prices falling to their lowest since 2 March as exports through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about one-fifth of global oil supply, could return to normal. Despite ongoing negotiations and fighting in Lebanon, the agreement has opened a new phase in US-Iran talks without resolving all disputes at the conflict's centre.

Published on: Jun 19, 2026 8:02 AM IST