Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has disclosed that he approved a landmark agreement with the United States to end the Middle East conflict despite holding personal reservations about the deal.
The agreement, signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, sets the stage for a 60-day period of negotiations on broader issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme and future relations between the two long-time adversaries.
In a written statement on Thursday, Khamenei said he granted approval for the deal based on assurances from Iranian officials that the country’s interests would be protected.
“Face-to-face negotiations” with the United States would continue in the future, he said, stressing that engagement does not amount to accepting Washington’s position on key issues.
The agreement comes as the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports, a move expected to ease tensions in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes. American military authorities, however, said US warships would remain in the region.
Signs of renewed maritime activity emerged on Thursday, with several oil tankers and a liquefied natural gas vessel successfully transiting the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of disruption caused by the conflict.
Uncertainty remains over the next phase of diplomacy, as officials from both countries have yet to confirm previously announced plans for formal talks in Switzerland. US Vice President JD Vance said technical negotiations could take place over the weekend, though arrangements were still subject to change.
The agreement is expected to formally end the five-week US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which followed the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an airstrike earlier this year. However, concerns persist about the durability of the peace arrangement.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who hosted the signing ceremony at the Palace of Versailles, cautioned that he did not believe the conflict was “totally finished,” reflecting broader international concerns about the fragile nature of the agreement.
Under the deal, Washington will immediately waive oil sanctions imposed on Iran, while a final settlement on Tehran’s nuclear programme could unlock a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund backed by regional partners. While President Trump hailed the accord as a “victory,” critics in both the United States and Iran remain divided over whether the agreement will deliver lasting peace in the region.
AFP