Iran War Deal, Blockade Lifted
Deal Reached to End Iran War as Trump Orders Halt to US Naval Blockade
The United States and Iran have struck a deal to end the war, and President Trump has ordered a stop to the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. AP confirmed the agreement on June 14 at 6:10 PM EDT, with a formal signing ceremony set for June 19 in Switzerland. Trump celebrated on Truth Social, writing: "Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"
The deal ends a conflict that lasted 107 days and killed between 7,468 and 10,018 people, according to AP. It also lifts a blockade that had cost Iran an estimated $500 million per day and choked global oil shipping through one of the world's most critical waterways.
How a 107-Day War Ended With a Deal
The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the US and Israel launched nearly 900 airstrikes in 12 hours under "Operation Epic Fury." A strike in central Tehran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, took over the next day. Israel then launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on March 2 to target Hezbollah, according to Wikipedia.
A first ceasefire collapsed in April. Trump then imposed a full naval blockade on April 13, ordering US ships to physically stop vessels from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM intercepted 85 ships during the blockade. By June 11, Trump announced a "great settlement" had been reached in principle, according to CBS News.
What the Deal Actually Requires Each Side to Do
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif brokered the agreement, called the "Islamabad Memorandum." Both sides declared "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts," Sharif said, according to CBS News. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the deal on state television but warned that implementation depends on the Friday signing.
Iran is set to receive $25 billion in frozen assets that the US had been holding. However, US officials say those funds will not be handed over upfront, according to Iran International. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu was not a direct party to the deal but praised the "removal of enriched material" from Iran.
Oil Prices Drop, but Full Recovery Will Take Months
Oil prices fell sharply the moment the deal was announced. The Strait of Hormuz had been nearly shut to traffic, slashing global crude exports from 16 million to roughly 4 million barrels per day during the blockade. That sent energy costs soaring worldwide.
But energy experts warn the relief will be slow, according to AP. Shipping companies and insurers need time to return to normal operations. The UK also offered support for mine clearance in the Strait. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the deal but stressed that "Iran must never have a nuclear weapon," according to GOV.UK.
Protests in Iran, Skepticism at Home, Heavy Human Cost
Not everyone is celebrating. Hardliners in the Iranian city of Mashhad took to the streets after the deal was announced. They chanted against "dishonorable compromisers" and "infiltrators" in the Foreign Ministry, according to Iran International. The Brookings Institution noted the war exposed how vulnerable US naval assets are to Iranian-style retaliatory strikes.
The human cost of the conflict is staggering. The war killed at least 1,700 Iranian civilians and 15 US service members, and wounded 543 American troops. Between 3.2 and 3.8 million Iranians were displaced. UNESCO flagged a strike that killed 150 children at a school in Minab as a potential war crime — a charge the Pentagon denies, citing "outdated targeting information," according to Arab Center DC.
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