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US and Iran presidents sign ceasefire agreement, but Trump says he could still resume attacks

The 14-point agreement extends a ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days, including in Lebanon, to allow the two sides to negotiate a final truce.

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The U.S. and Iran released the text of an interim agreement their presidents have signed to end their war on Wednesday, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if they failed to honour their ​commitments, Reuters reported.

Trump, attending the G7 with other leaders in France, also withdrew at least one of his stated rationales for attacking Iran in the first place, saying it would be “unfair” for Tehran not to have ballistic missiles, having previously ‌vowed to obliterate them.

“We’re going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement,” Trump said of Iran at a press conference. “I don’t want them to. I want them to honor the agreement.” He also called Iranians “smart people” as U.S. and Iranian negotiators work on a permanent truce over the coming 60 days, which Trump said he hoped would usher in peace in the Middle East and lower oil prices.

Earlier, he had said: “If I don’t like it, if they don’t behave, we’ll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head, OK?”

Iran’s leaders did not address the new threats while celebrating the ​moment, releasing photographs of what is believed to be the first agreement signed by both a U.S. and Iranian president since the Islamic Republic’s founding in 1979.

“Everything we sought to achieve through military action, we obtained several times over through negotiation; it ​was not even comparable,” Iran’s lead negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told state television about the agreement, which includes the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets.

The U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran ⁠on February 28, assassinating the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and military leaders on the first day. It quickly spiralled into a regional conflict that has killed more than 7,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon; driven up energy prices; renewed inflationary pressures and sparked concerns about a ​major food supply crisis in developing countries.

The 14-point agreement extends a ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days, including in Lebanon, to allow the two sides to negotiate a final truce. Both Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have digitally signed the memorandum in English and Farsi, U.S. and Iran ​officials said, with Iran’s foreign ministry saying the agreement was already in effect as of Wednesday, read the report.

Trump signed just before a grand dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles, the site of the signing of the eponymous treaty that formally ended World War One.

The memorandum includes an immediate end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, the full resumption of maritime traffic “with no charge” in the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, the waiving of U.S. sanctions on Iran, the unfreezing of its assets, and a $300 billion investment fund for the Islamic Republic’s post-war reconstruction.

Oil ​prices fell again on Wednesday on prospects for the reopening of the Hormuz, the slender, vital waterway between Iran and Oman, with Brent crude futures below $80, at their lowest level since the war’s start. They later regained more than 1% after Trump threatened renewed violence.

Iran also undertakes not to ​build nuclear weapons, reaffirming a vow it had made for decades. It also agreed to the on-site “down-blending” of its stockpile of enriched uranium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, although Trump had wanted to take it out of the country, which Iran has rejected.

Despite his combative rhetoric, Trump appears ‌to have achieved ⁠little of what he said he wanted in going to war, while Iran appears much closer to sanctions relief worth billions of dollars than before it was attacked.

Iran’s theocratic government remains in place, its stockpile of highly enriched uranium has not been surrendered, its ballistic missile capabilities have not been destroyed and it has not ended its support for anti-Israel militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump recanted his February promise to destroy all of Iran’s missiles and “raze their missile industry to the ground.”

“I’m saying that if other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some,” Trump told reporters in Paris after leaving the summit.

G7 leaders hailed the agreement at their summit, held in the French town of Evian-les-Bains, an hour’s drive along the shore of Lake Geneva from where the U.S. has said a formal signing ceremony for the ​U.S.-Iran agreement was due to be held across the Swiss border on ​Friday, Reuters reported.

But Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei cast doubt on ⁠this, telling IRIB’s News Network that, because the two presidents had already signed, “No signing ceremony will be held in Switzerland.”

European leaders share U.S. concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, but never endorsed his decision to go to war without United Nations authorization, and worry Iran has gained leverage by withstanding the superpower onslaught and asserting control over the strait.

The leaders of France, Germany, Britain, Japan, Italy, Canada and the U.S. demanded in ​a joint statement an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, where the memorandum calls for a halt to hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group that have killed thousands of people and displaced more ​than a million more.

Fighting there has abated ⁠but not ceased since the agreement was reached on Sunday, and Israel, which was not part of the negotiations and whose military is occupying southern Lebanon, says it retains the right to use force.

Trump on Wednesday gently rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has distanced Israel from the U.S.-Iran agreement, over his tactics in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The two men have repeatedly clashed over Israel’s refusal to constrain its pursuit of Hezbollah in Lebanon, where a cessation of hostilities is a key Iranian demand, read the report.

“Netanyahu happens to be a good man, gets a little excited sometimes,” Trump told reporters. “We have ⁠a little dispute ​over Lebanon. I say you can do a little softer touch, Bibi,” he said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks ​into it that’s from Hezbollah.”

Lebanese state media reported fresh Israeli air strikes and artillery fire in several southern towns throughout Wednesday. Lebanese security sources said Hezbollah had also launched two drone attacks on Israeli forces in the south. The group did not publicly claim the attacks.

Israel later said five of its soldiers had been injured in two Hezbollah ​drone attacks in southern Lebanon.

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Global leaders react to announcement of US-Iran peace agreement

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: “We are clear that ​toll-free freedom of navigation must now be restored in the Strait of Hormuz… Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.”

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U.S. and Iranian officials said on Sunday they have agreed on a deal to end their war, halt the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait ​of Hormuz, possibly leading to lower energy prices once oil shipments resume through the critical ‌waterway, Reuters reported.

Below is international reaction to the agreement:

A spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres:

“The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement that the United States and Iran have agreed on a peace deal that provides for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the reopening of the ​Strait of Hormuz, as well as a framework for further negotiations. This represents a critical step ​towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict.”

Joint statement from E4 leaders Britain, France, Germany ⁠and Italy:

“Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. We stand ready to work with the U.S., Iran ​and the IAEA to this end.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“The Australian Government welcomes the agreement by the United ​States and Iran. Australia has long called for de-escalation and an end to the conflict, including in Lebanon. As we have said, the longer this war goes on, the greater the impact will be. Continued restraint and constructive engagement will be ​essential to prevent further escalation and secure a lasting agreement.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer:

“We are clear that ​toll-free freedom of navigation must now be restored in the Strait of Hormuz… Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.”

French ‌President Emmanuel ⁠Macron:

“I welcome the agreement reached between the United States and Iran, the result of a diplomatic effort to which several partners contributed. I call for its swift and full implementation by all belligerents. This agreement must allow for the urgent and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which the international mission established with ​the United Kingdom is ​ready to support.”

German Chancellor ⁠Friedrich Merz:

“I welcome the agreement between the U.S. and Iran and congratulate President Trump and the Iranian side on this diplomatic breakthrough. This can pave the way ​towards a reinvigorated global economy and a more secure Middle East. It is ​crucial to implement ⁠it with determination.”

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi:

Japan “strongly hopes” that “free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz will be ensured in practice, and that a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear issue and other matters will be reached ⁠as soon ​as possible.”

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters:

“This pivotal, constructive deal ​is a step towards reducing tensions and promoting stability in a region that is critical to global economic security… Dialogue and diplomacy remain ​the most effective means of resolving longstanding issues.”

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Iran banks hit by major cyber attack

Officials said a technical investigation confirmed that the disruptions were the result of a cyberattack.

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Several major Iranian banks experienced service disruptions on Saturday following a cyberattack, according to the Coordinating Committee of Iran’s state-owned banks.

The outage affected four major financial institutions, including Bank Melli Iran, Bank Saderat Iran, and Bank Tejarat, causing interruptions to mobile and online banking services, automated teller machines (ATMs), point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and some card transactions.

Officials said a technical investigation confirmed that the disruptions were the result of a cyberattack.

The affected banks stated that their technical teams immediately implemented precautionary measures after detecting the incident in an effort to safeguard customer information and protect banking infrastructure.

Qatasi, secretary of the Coordinating Committee of Iran’s state-owned banks, said necessary recovery and repair measures had been carried out.

Authorities said there is currently no evidence that customer data was accessed without authorization, and no data breach has been reported.

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US, Iran inch closer to deal, timing remains unclear

Trump wrote on Truth Social that after a framework ​deal is signed, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies that Iran has blocked, would immediately be “open to all.”

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U.S. and Pakistani leaders forecast a Sunday signing of a long-elusive framework agreement ​to end fighting between the United States and Iran, but Tehran cast doubt over the timing and hardline protesters in Iran voiced opposition, Reuters reported.

President Donald Trump posted on social media ‌on Saturday that the deal with Iran was scheduled to be signed the next day, his 80th birthday. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the two sides had agreed on a framework for a peace deal and that Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing on Sunday, to be followed by technical-level talks in the coming week.

But Iran did not confirm a Sunday signing. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking before Trump’s post, had cautioned against commenting on ​the timing of the signing but was quoted by state media saying, “It will not be tomorrow,” but could happen “in the coming days.”

Trump wrote on Truth Social that after a framework ​deal is signed, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies that Iran has blocked, would immediately be “open to all.”

While U.S. bombings have heavily degraded Iran’s military-industrial base and damaged its military, experts say the war has left hardline Revolutionary Guard dominance more firmly entrenched than before.

Videos on social media and Iranian ​news websites showed opponents of an agreement gathering in squares and in front of the Foreign Ministry in Tehran, appearing to blame Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as they chanted, “Araqchi have some shame, let ​go of America!”

Reuters could not immediately verify the videos.

When the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, Trump called on Iranians to rise up and take over state institutions.

Even as the U.S. and Iran appeared to be moving toward an agreement over the past two days, clashes have continued, as the U.S. military imposes a blockade on Iran and seeks to loosen Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, which was the conduit for ​20% of the world’s oil shipments before the war.

Early on Saturday, U.S. forces shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones heading toward the strait, the U.S. military said. Israel, which says it is not ​a party to the U.S.-Iran deal, said on Saturday that it had struck more than 70 sites over a 24-hour period in Lebanon against Iranian ally Hezbollah, Reuters reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clashed with Trump over U.S. ‌demands that Israel ⁠curb military action in Lebanon to allow Washington to reach a deal with Tehran.

On Friday, Araqchi said that while changes in the deal were still possible, the tentative agreement showed his country had emerged stronger from the conflict.

At pro-government rallies held across Iran on Saturday night, residents and news agencies reported that hardliners opposed to the framework agreement loudly voiced their dissatisfaction.

A resident in the northeastern city of Mashhad told Reuters that some protesters chanted: “Death to the compromiser,” in an apparent reference to Araqchi. “Compromiser, resign, resign.”

The proposed memorandum of understanding calls for reopening the strait and ​lifting the U.S. naval blockade, sources on all ​sides of the talks said. Negotiations over Iran’s ⁠nuclear program — a key rationale Trump has given for the war — would take place afterwards.

“Iran is going to open up the Strait of Hormuz, that’s a requirement. It could be open with no tolls. As they do that, we will lift our blockade,” a U.S. official told reporters.

“It’s going to ​happen in conjunction, and part of the next step, the phase after that, is going to be the demining of the straits,” the official ​said, indicating countries in the ⁠Group of Seven major powers could have a role in this.

Trump discussed the efforts to end the Iran conflict in a call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Downing Street said on Saturday.

Draft terms described to Reuters by multiple sources indicate the U.S. would begin releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on its oil exports, in return for Iran opening the strait.

Iran’s Fars news agency quoted Baghaei ⁠as saying ​the release of Iran’s frozen assets was an integral part of the agreement and also that Iran would have to ​charge for services in the Strait of Hormuz, read the report.

He said foreign military bases in the region must end, the agency reported, without providing details.

Iran’s nuclear program would be addressed during a 60-day period of talks. A U.S. official said the agreement would ultimately ​lead to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, with its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to be destroyed and removed.

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