US, Iran sign war-ending deal, which enters into effect 2 days earlier than planned

US, Iran sign war-ending deal, which enters into effect 2 days earlier than planned

'This was not easy,' says Trump as he inks agreement; Iran gloats it achieved 'everything' it wanted; Hormuz to open 'immediately' but Tehran says tolls to be charged after 60 days

US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a deal Wednesday meant to end the Middle East war, causing it to go into effect two days earlier than originally envisioned, with Tehran agreeing in principle to a subsequent dilution of its enriched uranium in return for large-scale economic relief.

Trump put his signature on the memorandum of understanding during a candlelit dinner at the Palace of Versailles following a G7 summit, as host French President Emmanuel Macron and other guests applauded, a video posted by a Trump aide showed.

'Just signed it,' Trump told reporters as he emerged from the palace.

The first clause of the MOU commits the sides 'and their allies' to an immediate and permanent end of fighting, and to no restarting of conflict. Israeli officials have said privately that Israel regards such terms as ending any military leverage over Iran and potentially depriving Israel of the capacity to defend itself, though Trump has said he will 'go back to dropping bombs' if Iran breaches the accord.

'This was not easy,' Trump said right before he signed it, according to a video posted to social media by Macron.

In Tehran, a stone-faced Pezeshkian signed the deal on behalf of Iran, according to the regime-run IRNA news agency, which posted an image of him holding up the deal with his signature and Trump's.

'As a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade,' Sharif wrote.

And if and when a final agreement is reached on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, the United States will also facilitate the release of a $300 billion reconstruction fund supported by regional nations, the deal says.

The agreement had earlier been slated to be signed during a Friday summit by Iran's chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and US Vice President JD Vance.

Sharif said an official ceremony would still take place Friday in Switzerland and technical talks would commence, and the Swiss foreign ministry said the plan was still 'for the US and Iran, along with mediators Pakistan and Qatar and other involved countries, to meet tomorrow at Burgenstock for initial negotiations about implementing the agreement.'

However, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that the talks are not confirmed for now.

'The Friday meeting was confirmed until a few hours ago, but when it was decided that the presidents of the two sides (Iran and the US) would sign the agreement, it was decided to pause consideration of the Friday meeting for now,' Baghaei said.

The deal had been shrouded in secrecy and confusion for days. US officials refused to disclose the terms even after saying Trump and Vance digitally signed it over the weekend.

Iran insisted the deal represented a US 'failure.'

'Everything we sought to achieve through military action, we obtained several times over through negotiation; it was not even comparable,' Iran's negotiator Ghalibaf told state television about the agreement, which includes the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets. 'People will see it and judge.'

He also repeated that Tehran will charge ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz after a 60-day fee-free period stipulated in the memorandum of understanding with the US.

Ghalibaf said the 'Strait of Hormuz will not return to prewar conditions,' adding: 'Iran has the right to sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and of course we will receive a fee for services.'

The head of the pro-Tehran Lebanese Shiite terror group Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, described the deal as a 'great victory' for Iran.