Lead:
The United States and Iran have reached a landmark understanding to halt military operations and launch detailed negotiations, with President Donald Trump announcing the full opening of the Strait of Hormuz by Friday. The agreement, welcomed across the Gulf and beyond, marks a significant diplomatic shift with direct implications for regional security, global energy markets, and the broader trajectory of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Details:
Saudi Arabia moved swiftly to welcome the accord, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing the Kingdom's support for the agreement and its hope that it would lead to a comprehensive and lasting settlement. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, during which both sides affirmed their shared commitment to advancing regional stability. Al-Watan reported that the two ministers framed the agreement as an opportunity to close a long chapter of conflict.
President Trump declared the deal signed, announcing that the Strait of Hormuz would be fully open without fees by the coming Friday. Al-Jazirah newspaper noted that the first liquefied gas tanker, the DISHA, had already transited the strait following the announcement, signaling an early resumption of maritime traffic through one of the world's most critical shipping corridors. Trump also emphasized that Iran had committed to neither developing nor acquiring nuclear weapons.
US Vice President JD Vance elaborated on the verification mechanism, stating, according to Alyaum, that Washington had received an unequivocal Iranian commitment on the nuclear file and that compliance would be confirmed through a two-phase verification process. He acknowledged that several details remain under discussion. Meanwhile, the United States denied releasing any frozen Iranian assets as part of the initial arrangement.
International reaction was cautious but broadly positive. Al-Jazirah reported that leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy issued a joint statement welcoming the deal while calling on all parties to honor their commitments and pursue a durable settlement. The Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi also welcomed the memorandum of understanding, reaffirming the GCC's commitment to the path of peace. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun welcomed the agreement but used the occasion to call for a halt to Israeli military operations against his country. Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, for his part, declared that Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in their positions in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.
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