"Iran and the U.S. have agreed on a peace deal, the countries said on Sunday, a breakthrough after nearly four months of conflict that created global political and economic turmoil.
President Trump, in an interview earlier Sunday with The Wall Street Journal hours before he was set to attend a large-scale mixed-martial-arts fight on the White House's lawn, said the deal would be signed electronically by himself or Vice President JD Vance on Sunday. Pakistani negotiators said a formal signing would come this week.
"Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED," said Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of lead mediator Pakistan. "Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon."
The official signing ceremony will be on Friday in Switzerland, Sharif said on his social-media account.
Trump, in a 5:29 p.m. social-media post, wrote that the "Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"
The government in Tehran later confirmed the deal had been struck. "Agreement reached," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on his X account. "Greetings to Diplomacy General," he said, under a picture of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Some have described the agreement as a memorandum of understanding that would set up further talks. The agreement paves the way for a 60-day period of negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, which the U.S. suspects could be used to develop a nuclear weapon. In exchange for curbs on the program, Iran expects access to billions of dollars of cash blocked abroad and an end to sanctions that have stifled its economy.
The pact includes commitments to end the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. The Islamic Republic is set to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. is expected to end its blockade of Iran ports.
The president has repeatedly expressed optimism about a deal with the Iranians, even suggesting for more than a month that it was all but clinched. But often these talks have fallen apart at the last minute without signoff from the Iranians. Trump's war has driven up gasoline prices for U.S. consumers.
Trump expressed no urgency to extract nuclear material from Iran, saying that could come later.
"We'll get the nuclear dust later on when we're ready to go in and do it. I'd say over the next month or two, there's no rush," he said. He called it "harmless."
Trump said he wasn't as concerned about changing Iran's regime as some of his critics have been.
"As far as regime change, I never cared about regime change. This is the third group we've dealt with, and this is the most rational group yet."
The interview came hours after Trump expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which appeared to almost scuttle the sensitive talks.
The U.S. and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28, but relations between the White House and Israel have been strained since then over conflicting objectives.
"Bibi shouldn't have done that," Trump said about Sunday's strikes inside Lebanon. "I didn't like it at all. They fired a couple [of] small missiles, and missed their mark by a lot," adding, "They have to fire back, then he'll fire back, then the whole thing never stops in the Middle East."
But Trump claimed Netanyahu was supportive of a deal.
"Bibi is OK with it," he said. "Why is it good for Bibi? Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon under any circumstance."
Netanyahu has expressed concerns about the terms of any potential deal.
Sunday marked Trump's 80th birthday, and at one point he stopped the interview to praise the music of Luciano Pavarotti. He also touted that the UFC ticket on the South Lawn was an extremely hot ticket, expressing his excitement for the evening's festivities.
Earlier Sunday, Trump called Israel's strike on Beirut disproportionate and ill-timed.
"This morning's attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran," Trump said in a post on social media. "Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process. We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down."
The Israeli military attacked what it said was a Hezbollah command center in the suburbs of Beirut on Sunday after Hezbollah fired drones at Israeli territory. No injuries were reported as a result of the drone attacks. Three people were killed and 15 others were injured in the Beirut strike, Lebanese state media reported.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants, backed by Iran, has become a persistent hurdle to ending the Iran war. Similar Israeli strikes have led to tense calls between Trump and Netanyahu in recent weeks.
Israeli officials were taken by surprise by Trump's remarks on social media, which said "there should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon," a person familiar with the matter said. Trump also called on Hezbollah to halt its attacks on Israel.
In response to the Israeli strike, Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, had threatened to pull out of negotiations. The strike "once again showed that America either has no will to fulfill its obligations or the ability to do so," he said. "If you do not have the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, it is not possible to talk about continuing the path."
Senior Iranian officials had warned Tehran would retaliate against Israel.
A delegation from Qatar, one of the mediating countries, had traveled to Tehran on Sunday in the hope of completing the pact, according to a Middle Eastern official and the Fars news agency, which is affiliated with Iran's security services.
The preliminary deal had faced opposition from hard-liners in Iran and by many in Israel.
Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, faced street protests and public criticism on Saturday by hard-liners who accused him of giving too many concessions to the U.S.
Netanyahu opposes a deal with Iran and had pushed for a return to fighting, people familiar with the matter said.
His opponents and allies have criticized him for what they have described as a weak deal with Iran and over the perception that the U.S. is putting limitations on how much force Israel can use in Lebanon.
Before the Israeli strikes on Sunday, Netanyahu's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, had called on the leader to strike in Beirut.“ [1]
1. U.S., Iran Reach Deal to End the War --- Pakistan says both parties will sign the peace accord in Switzerland Friday. Dawsey, Josh; Peled, Anat; Faucon, Benoit. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 15 June 2026: A1.
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