Middle East crisis live: Tehran says it will charge ships in strait of Hormuz after 60 days; US-Iran presidents sign peace deal | US-Israel war on Iran
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Jonathan Yerushalmi
Pakistani prime minister welcomes “peaceful resolution” to dispute between US and IranWhile he congratulated the leaders of both countries for signing an agreement that he claimed would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
But amid the celebrations of Shehbaz Sharif, who served as a mediator in the deal, the publication of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will kick off the next 60 days of negotiations between Iran and the United States turned out to be even more divisive. mix of anger, surprise, and relief.
In France, leaders of G7 countries welcomed the agreement, calling it “a historic opportunity to prevent Iran from acquiring any nuclear weapons.”
European leaders were largely excluded from the talks but expressed relief that the Strait of Hormuz had reopened, allowing oil to continue flowing. Emmanuel Macron He said this would end “a state of great instability with dire consequences for our economies”.
However, in Israel the agreement was received less optimistically.
Mark Regevformer senior advisor to the prime minister Benjamin NetanyahuHe questioned how seriously Iran would approach negotiations on its nuclear program once America removed economic and military “pressure.” His views were reflected throughout Israel.
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Natasha May Continuing from his last message:
president of the philippines Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. He was also optimistic, saying The freedom of navigation returning to the Strait of Hormuz was “what we had hoped for since the day the war began”.
However, he acknowledged that it would take time to recover from the crisis due to the extent of instability, saying:
Due to the magnitude of the problem and the instability caused by this war, it is inevitable that it will take some time for us to return to the new normal.
The International Energy Agency said the conflict in the Middle East provided a “stark wake-up call” for Southeast Asia’s energy system. new report – revealing deep structural weaknesses linked to import dependence, limited diversification and concentrated supply routes.
The report predicts that if these gaps in energy security are not addressed, the region’s energy import bill could more than triple from $80 billion in 2024 to $245 billion by 2035.
Natasha May
Southeast Asian countries – They were among the first and hardest hit by the energy crisis due to their heavy dependence on Middle Eastern oil – We welcomed the US-Iran agreement He was relieved after the end of the war, especially with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the crisis, about 60% of Southeast Asia’s crude oil imports and a third of its gas imports Coming from the Middle East, 45% of the supply of petroleum products was dependent on Middle East crude oil. The conflict led to sudden price shocks and governments across the region to implement policies such as encouraging people to reduce their air conditioning and work from home.
Thailand’s foreign ministry said: a statement This week the country said it “warmly welcomes the agreement reached” and hopes it will lead to “lasting peace and stability in the region, global economic stability and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Domestic diesel prices in Thailand recorded a steady decline last week, under the influence of the Minister of Energy. Akanat Promphan Oil prices are predicted to increase if the situation in the Middle East remains stable It will probably return to normal in the near future.
Pakistan says US-Iran deal will enter into force immediately
Pakistan’s prime minister said earlier in the day that the deal between the US and Iran “will come into effect immediately” after it is signed by both parties.
Shehbaz Sharif he said on social media “As a first step, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States will immediately lift its naval blockade.”
Sharif, who mediated the memorandum of understanding, also reportedly said that an official signing ceremony would be held in Switzerland on Friday “to commemorate this landmark event and initiate talks at a technical level.”
Summary: Tehran announced that it will impose penalties on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz after 60 days
Welcome to our ongoing live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.
WE And Iranian published the text of the interim agreement signed by their presidents to end the war, but Donald Trump He threatens to continue attacks and kill Iranian officials if Tehran does not fulfill its commitments.
Trump attends G7 summit with other leaders FranceHe also walked back at least one of his stated justifications for an initial strike on Iran, saying it would be “unfair” for Tehran not to have ballistic missiles, despite previously promising to destroy them.
Trump said about Iran at the press conference, “If they violate the agreement, we will beat them to hell.” “I don’t want them to do this. I want them to honor the agreement.”
The 14-point memorandum extends the ceasefire in April for another 60 days, including in Lebanon, allowing the two sides to negotiate a final ceasefire within the next 60 days.
The agreement also includes a “free” full resumption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of the US embargo on Iranian ports, the waiver of US sanctions on Iran, the freezing of its assets and a $300 billion investment fund for Iran’s post-war reconstruction.
But the chief Iranian negotiator Muhammad Bagher Galibaf He said the Strait of Hormuz “will not return to pre-war conditions” and that Iran will charge fees to ships transiting the waterway after the 60-day free period stipulated in the agreement. Trump has previously said he would not accept tolls imposed to cross the vital energy route.
In other developments:
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Iranian leaders celebrate deal but fail to mention new threats“Everything we tried to achieve through military action, we have achieved repeatedly through negotiation; it is not even comparable,” Ghalibaf said on state television. He claimed that the deal included unfreezing billions of dollars of assets in Iran.
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Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian digitally sign the memorandum of understanding in English and FarsiUS and Iranian officials said. Iran’s foreign ministry said the agreement was in effect as of Wednesday, as was mediator Pakistan.
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According to the agreement, Iran also undertakes not to develop nuclear weapons.He reaffirmed a promise he had made for decades. It also agreed to “down blend” the enriched uranium stockpile on-site.
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Trump signed just before his big dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of VersaillesIt is where the agreement that officially ended the First World War was signed. G7 leaders welcomed the agreement at their summit in France. The US said the official signing ceremony of the agreement will be held in Switzerland on Friday.
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Oil prices fell again On Wednesday, on hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude futures fell below $80, the lowest level since the start of the war, but later gained more than 1% after Trump again threatened violence. Following the signing, US crude oil fell by 1.25 percent to $75.83 per barrel, while Brent crude oil dropped by 1.4 percent to $78.41 per barrel.
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Donald Trump entered the war with maximalist goals and emerged from the war with a pragmatic decision to end the conflict despite the political costAndrew Roth writes in this analysis:
With news agencies
