Iran, US agree to halt war and reopen Hormuz

The United States and Iran have reportedly agreed to terms to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, news that brought relief to markets — although the pact may hinge on an end to hostilities in Lebanon and defers talks on Tehran’s nuclear program.While still a framework, the deal marked the biggest breakthrough towards resolving the conflict that has killed thousands and upended energy markets since it began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform at around 5:30 p.m. in Washington on Sunday. His post came shortly after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has served as a mediator, announced a deal had been struck.The memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland.The precise terms were not immediately known. Sharif said in a post on X that the pact called for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”Leaders of the Group of Seven nations are due to arrive at a French lakeside resort on Monday, where Trump will be pressed for details.LEBANON HAS BEEN A STICKING POINTWhile the U.S. and Iran had largely ceased hostilities as they engaged in weeks-long negotiations, Lebanon has suffered the deadliest spillover of the conflict. Some 1.2 million people have been uprooted by an Israeli offensive against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, which opened fire on Israel in support of Tehran on March 2.Lebanon has been a persistent sticking point in talks, with Israel and Hezbollah ignoring calls from Trump and others to stop their attacks on each other, while Iran made a full ceasefire in Lebanon one of its demands.The secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, would end permanently starting on Monday night.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Ara