US, Iran enter critical phase in deal

With Iran and the United States reaching an agreement to end the war "permanently" on various fronts, experts said the two have now entered a critical step toward a peaceful settlement and the restoration of safety in a vital maritime corridor.

They also hope that all relevant parties will stay committed to the choice of peace and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised all parties for playing a role in establishing the framework for further negotiations. "This represents a critical step toward the peaceful settlement of the conflict," the UN chief said.

Arsenio Dominguez, the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), hailed the agreement as an "important step" toward restoring safety in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said was a "vital maritime corridor for seafarers and ships, as well as safeguarding the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation".

He said the agreement allows IMO to advance its plan to evacuate the thousands of seafarers stranded in the area and that it is working in close collaboration with member states and partners to implement the plan safely and effectively.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that a Memorandum of Understanding between Tehran and Washington has been finalized and will be officially signed on June 19 in Switzerland, Mehr News Agency reported.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared that a deal had been reached in a post on X on early June 15 and that both sides "have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon" with the official signing ceremony to be held later this week.

He said mediators will facilitate a series of meetings this week and that the pre-implementation discussions "will lay the foundation for the technical talks and the official signing ceremony".

The deal would pave the way for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, while other matters — including the nuclear issue — would be dealt with during subsequent negotiations.

Iran's Gharibabadi said in a televised interview on June 15 that the draft MoU incorporated "all our important positions", but added that the memorandum "does not mean trusting the enemy; it has been written with active distrust".

"We will monitor the implementation of US commitments," he said.

In a social media post, US President Donald Trump said the "Great Deal" will bring "peace and security to the whole region".

"With the opening of the Strait (of Hormuz) upon the signing of the Deal for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends again for the region and the world!" Trump said.

China welcomes the agreement reached by the US and Iran on the content of a first-phase memorandum of understanding, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in Beijing on June 15.

Speaking at a regular news conference, Lin said that China appreciates Pakistan's efforts to mediate between the two parties.

China hopes the US and Iran will sign the first-phase memorandum of understanding as scheduled, and hopes that all relevant parties will stay committed to the choice of peace and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, he said.

Lin added that China stands ready to work with the international community to continue playing a positive role in restoring peace and tranquility in the Gulf region at an early date.

Turkiye, Qatar, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany were among the nations that also welcomed the news of the US-Iran agreement.

"This is certainly a hopeful start and an indication that things are moving in the right direction," Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, told China Daily. "What we have is an agreement on a framework for further negotiations on some of the thorniest issues, particularly the nuclear program that Iran has had."

He noted that Iran has assets that it has not had access to for a number of years. Thorny issues "are going to be worked out within 60 days", he said.

"I think the final outcome is yet to be determined, but certainly this is a very hopeful start," Kamrava said. Both Iran and the US faced pressure from hardliners in their nations "not to go to the negotiating table, but both have done so", he said.

Kamrava added that Israel is not keen on this agreement between Iran and the US, and "might do what they can to sabotage the deal".

"Finally, I think there are a couple of important lessons," Kamrava said. "Our assumptions about Iranian weakness and about the death of the 'axis of resistance' appear to have been miscalculated. The Iranians have not been acting... they appear to have a renewed sense of confidence. They have emerged as they think victorious, at least, militarily."

Despite the progress, the Israeli military will remain in southern Lebanon, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday, and warned that if Iran strikes, it will be hit "with full force" and said that Israel will resist any pressure after the US and Iran agreed to a deal to end the war that also reportedly includes a commitment to end hostilities in Lebanon, the Times of Israel reported.

Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com