US and Iran Reach Peace Deal to End War

The United States and Iran have reached a tentative peace agreement to end a monthslong war that began on February 28, 2026, with strikes killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Brokered by the Government of Pakistan, the memorandum of understanding establishes a 60-day ceasefire and a framework for negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief. A formal signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19, 2026, at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland.

Donald Trump authorized the immediate lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to restore global oil transit. While Trump described the deal as a victory and claimed previous operations obliterated Iran's military capabilities, the accord faces a critical diplomatic rift over Lebanon. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserts that the agreement requires the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories in southern Lebanon, warning that further military action constitutes a violation of the deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected these conditions, stating that Israel will remain in Lebanon as long as necessary. This tension is exacerbated by Israel's June 14 attack on Beirut, which occurred despite Trump's warnings. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz further complicated the truce by announcing that troops would remain indefinitely in buffer zones across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, while U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee maintained that Israel retains the right to defend itself against Hezbollah regardless of the U.S.-Iran deal.