US-Iran news LIVE updates: US-Iran peace deal takes ‘immediate effect’ after both sides sign, Pakistan PM Sharif says | Today’s news
US-Iran News LIVE: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Thursday that the US-Iran peace deal, signed electronically by both sides, had entered into force “immediately”. However, he added that the official signing will take place on Friday in Switzerland, as previously announced. In a post on social media, Sharif assured that as a first step in the deal, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and Washington would lift the naval blockade.
Trump says he can still renew the attacks
The US and Iran on Wednesday released the text of an interim agreement to end their war, with US President Donald Trump threatening to resume attacks and kill Iranian officials if they do not live up to their commitments. He also retracted at least one of his previously stated reasons for attacking Iran while attending the G7 summit in France. He said it would be “unfair” for the Islamic Republic not to have ballistic missiles, having previously promised to wipe them out.
“If they break the deal, we’re going to bomb them,” Trump said at a news conference about Iran. “I don’t want them to do that. I want them to keep the deal.” He also called the Iranians “smart people” as US and Iranian negotiators work for the next 60 days on a permanent ceasefire.
Attention turns to Strait of Hormuz as US-Iran deal goes into effect
Donald Trump signed an interim deal to end the war with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, speeding up the timeline for a deal despite a backlash from Republicans who said it marked a victory for Tehran. The so-called memorandum of understanding is now in effect, the US official said. It was not clear whether Iran immediately began taking steps to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump told reporters he signed the document at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris, where he had dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron. Versailles was where the leaders of the Great Powers met in 1919 to sign the peace treaty that formally ended the First World War.
Draft 14-point MOU
Here is a list of the draft 14-point memorandum of understanding that the US and Iran have agreed to:
1. An immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon
2. The US and Iran will respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs
3. Both sides will try to reach a final agreement within 60 days
4. The US will lift the naval blockade after signing the agreement
5. The US will also withdraw its forces from the surrounding areas within 30 days of the final agreement.
6. The US and regional partners will create a comprehensive plan for Iran’s economic recovery and development, backed by at least $300 billion in funding.
7. The implementation mechanism for the economic development plan will be completed within 60 days.
8. Within 30 days, Iran will restore commercial shipping between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman to pre-war levels, including demining and removing technical obstacles.
9. The US will commit to ending all sanctions against Iran according to a schedule to be agreed upon in the final agreement, including UN, IAEA and unilateral US sanctions.
10. Iran reaffirms that it will never develop or produce nuclear weapons.
11. It also seeks the release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets during the 60-day negotiation period
12. Iran and the US agree that the fate of enriched material and the fate of all other mutually agreed nuclear-related issues, including Iran’s nuclear needs, will be appropriately addressed in a final agreement
13. The US Treasury will issue exemptions for the export of Iranian oil, petrochemical products and their derivatives and all related services, including banking, insurance, transportation and the like.
14. The final agreement will be approved through a binding resolution of the UN Security Council.
