By Joe Ekel
A surprise diplomatic
shift appears to be unfolding after US President Donald Trump announced that a
preliminary agreement aimed at ending hostilities with Iran has already been
formally signed, with full details expected to be made public in the coming
days.
Speaking during
discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit on Monday,
Trump insisted the process had moved faster than expected and that the
agreement was already complete on paper. “I am very happy to say it’s signed.
The deal is all signed,” he said, signalling what could become one of the most
significant geopolitical developments in recent months.
According
to senior US officials, key elements of the arrangement are already being
activated behind the scenes. One of the most immediate steps reportedly
includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, coinciding with a
formal signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Geneva. The strategic
waterway is vital to global oil shipping, and its reopening is expected to ease
tensions in energy markets.
Officials
also confirmed that technical negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme will
begin this week. However, any easing of sanctions or release of frozen Iranian
assets will depend on Tehran fully complying with the agreement’s conditions.
The
document is said to have been electronically signed by President Trump, US Vice
President JD Vance, and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
While parts of the deal may be made public as early as Wednesday, Trump
suggested the complete version would follow shortly after the Geneva event.
“It’s a very powerful document, and I want it to be released,” he added.
Under
the current framework, the ceasefire between both sides is expected to hold for
an additional 60 days while broader negotiations continue.
Pakistan’s
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government has been involved in mediation
efforts, described the breakthrough as including an immediate end to military
operations across multiple fronts, including Lebanon.
However,
US officials clarified that while Lebanon is part of the ceasefire arrangement,
Israeli troop withdrawals from Lebanese territory are not required under the
deal. Israel would still retain what it describes as the right to self-defence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later stated that
Israeli forces would remain positioned in parts of Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for
as long as necessary, while also insisting Iran must never be allowed to obtain
nuclear weapons, regardless of diplomatic progress.
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