Live updates: Trump and Iran reach tentative deal to end war, reopen Hormuz

Global markets soared after the tentative deal was announced, with a signing ceremony set for Friday in Switzerland.

It will take time to move stranded seafarers, International Maritime Organization chief says

It will take time “to ensure that all necessary safety and security guarantees are in place” to move crews out of the area in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to the head of the International Maritime Organization.

The deal “signals a crucial return to peace, dialogue, multilateralism and diplomacy, and in particular, an important step toward restoring safety in this vital maritime corridor for seafarers and ships, as well as safeguarding the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation,” Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.

The effective blockade of the strait by Iran and the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports have left hundreds of ships and their crew members stuck in limbo for more than three months.

And Dominguez, the IMO’s Secretary-General paid tribute to “innocent seafarers affected and to their families” and commended their resilience through the crisis.

Strait of Hormuz remains closed, Iranian state media reports

There is “zero passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB said today.

In a video published on Telegram, an IRIB reporter said the vital waterway was “closed until further notice,” and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy had not permitted any vessels to transit the strait for more than 96 hours.

'We are out of red flags' in Gaza and the West Bank, U.N. rights commissioner warns

Israel has killed almost 1,000 Palestinians since the ceasefire was announced in October, while destroying communities and annexing territory in the occupied West Bank, the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said today.

“Some senior Israeli officials have spoken publicly of the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza, and of ending any possibility of a viable Palestinian state. All of this is totally illegal,” Türk told the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.

He added that Israel has killed almost 57 people in the West Bank and issued 23 land confiscation orders this year alone.

“We are out of red flags. Our many previous warnings have not been heeded,” he said, before calling on “all those with influence” to hold the responsible accountable and end the suffering of the Palestinians by helping to enforce the ceasefire.

Inside Iran there is skepticism about the deal, expert says

Inside Iran there is disbelief and even skepticism over a deal with Trump and there is a sizeable group opposed to the agreement, a leading academic at the University of Tehran told NBC News this morning.

“There is a very very great pressure on the Iranian negotiators,” said Mohammad Eslami, who regularly traveled with Iranian negotiators during the nuclear talks.

There have been protests about Trump on the streets of Tehran he said, adding: “They were talking about a man who’s lied about the Iranians, who wanted to finish the Iranian civilisation.”

There is a deep distrust of Trump among the Iranian leadership, he said.

“Right now they are very skeptical regarding the outcome of this memorandom of understanding which is a real concern,” he said, adding it was up to the Trump Administration to fulfill the agreement. “If they can then I think the government will pursuade these people.” he said.

The memorandum of understanding is “a kind of interim deal between Iran and the United States,” he said. “It’s not something that is somehow exciting in Tehran because we do have the experience of having an international deal and Donald Trump himself withdrew from that international deal,” he added.

European leaders call for 'immediate' and 'long-term' reopening of Strait of Hormuz

As leaders of the G7 gather in France, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will likely be top of the agenda.

Ahead of the summit in the eastern commune of Évian-les-Bains, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a “long-term reopening” of the strait in a video.

In a separate statement he called for the resumption of maritime traffic, “without restrictions or tolls,” which he called an essential condition for regional stability and the global economy.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also called for “immediate reopening” of the strait and she said the freedom of navigation must be restored “toll-free.”

War with Iran accomplished 'little,' expert says

As Washington and Tehran prepare to sign a peace deal to end the war that has consumed the Middle East for months, one expert questioned what exactly has been accomplished by the conflict which began in late February.

The framework deal “basically takes us back to the situation that we were in right before the war,” Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute told NBC News in a phone interview today.

"The question is, well, what was accomplished? And the answer is, from the U.S. and Israeli perspective, very little, in fact, if anything," said Harrison, and the author of “Decoding Iran’s Foreign Policy.”

Iran in some ways appeared to have emerged from the conflict in a "stronger" negotiating position, he said, adding: "It does raise the question about what the war aims were."

Respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty is 'inseparable part' of ceasefire deal, Iran says

The end of the war in Lebanon "is an inseparable part of the agreement to end the war," Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement today, according to the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency.

“The end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, refers to respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he was quoted as saying.

A final decision on the mechanism for signing the deal is expected within the next few days, after which the outcome will be officially announced, Baghaei added.

Trump says ships are 'starting to move' out of Hormuz

Ships, “many loaded up with Oil,” were “starting to move” out of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has said in a Truth Social post.

Traffic through the vital waterway, which before the war carried around a quarter of the world's oil flows, ground pratically to a halt when the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran in February.

Ships were “going along the Southern ‘Highway,’ which is totally safe, secure, and pristine. There are other areas of travel, also!!!” Trump added.

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz today as seen from Musandam, Oman. Reuters

Vance shares details about the U.S. agreement with Iran

Vance said in a CNBC interview that the short-term deal between the U.S. and Iran will “immediately” reopen the Strait of Hormuz and include a commitment from Iran to “never develop or procure a nuclear weapon.”

Iran would have to undergo a verification process to ensure it holds up its side of the deal, at which point the U.S. will lift sanctions, Vance said.

“We say to the Iranians, you are welcome to have access to an unsanctioned economy, you’re welcome to be re-invited into the world economy, but only if you honor the commitments that you make in this agreement,” he said. “So that’s the leverage point and simultaneously the enforcement mechanism we have over their nuclear program.”

The vice president also said that Iran has “committed to destroy and dispose of their stockpile of highly enriched material.”

Asked whether he believed the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened beyond the 60-day period laid out in the agreement, Vance said that “our expectation is that the strait is going to be opened in a toll-free way for the long term.”

“That’s the sort of thing that we’re going to figure out in these technical negotiations,” he added.

Asked who would sign the agreement on Friday, Vance dodged the question, saying they “expect the negotiating team from the Iranian side is going to be the Speaker of the House Ghalibaf, and also the Foreign Minister Araghchi, along with a number of security officials and people who represent the different constituencies within their country.”

Israeli far-right minister calls deal with Tehran 'bad for Israel' and the world

Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called the deal with Iran “bad for Israel and the entire free world” as he suggested Israel would continue the campaign to overthrow the Iranian regime on its own.

“We will be tested in Lebanon,” Smotrich said in a post on X earlier today. “This is our war, our fighters, and the immediate security of the residents of our north.”

Israel said this morning its forces won’t withdraw from land seized in Lebanon, while Tehran warned Israeli attacks there need to be completely halted.

Hezbollah welcomes deal and praises Iran's role in 'great achievement'

The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group welcomed the agreement between the U.S. and Iran, describing it as a “great achievement” and praising the role of Iranian people and leadership in securing the deal.

In a statement issued today, the group thanked Iran for the “unwavering support of Lebanon, its people, and its resistance,” and for their insistence that Lebanon must be included in any agreement aimed at ending hostilities and preserving the country’s rights.

A man waves a Hezbollah flag in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square yesterday. Vahid Salemi / AP

Hezbollah also called on Lebanese authorities and political factions to use the current regional and international support to strengthen the country’s sovereignty and secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The group urged residents seeking to return to southern border communities to “exercise patience and await instructions from the relevant authorities,” citing dangers from potential violations of the ceasefire by the Israeli military.

Iran's president says U.S. deal to be signed Friday

Iran’s President Mahmoud Pezeshkian just announced that “the memorandum of understanding to end the war between Iran and America is scheduled to be signed on Friday,” according to state media IRNA.

Pakistan had said the same but this is the first confirmation from Tehran.

Lebanese army urges caution for residents returning to southern border areas

The Lebanese army urged residents to “exercise caution” when returning to villages and towns near the country’s southern border following the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.

In a post on X, the army warned that violations of the ceasefire and Israeli attacks remain a risk, and called on residents to “adhere to the directives of the deployed military units” in the area.

Iran has made an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon a key priority in talks, but Israel said this morning it would not withdraw from areas it has seized in Lebanon.

Displaced residents return to their villages today near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. Mohammed Anouti / AP

UKMTO says container ship came under fire off Yemen coast

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said today it had received a report that a container vessel off the coast of Yemen was approached by a small skiff.

“The crew of the small skiff opened fire on the vessel and attempted to board,” the Royal Navy-backed organization said in a recent incidents update.

Egypt says U.S.-Iran deal could be ‘turning point’; Saudi Arabia welcomes the agreement

Egypt said the agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran is “a highly significant development that will restore security and stability at both the regional and international levels.”

In a statement released today, Egypt’s foreign ministry said it hopes the agreement will mark a “major turning point” toward strengthening trust, advancing diplomacy and improving stability across the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia also welcomed the agreement, saying it appreciates the efforts taken by the mediator countries and “the positive response of the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran to these efforts.”

‘A return to normal shipping patterns would likely take months,’ analyst tell NBC News

The deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz does not mean an immediate surge in traffic for ships carrying much-needed global supplies of energy, fertilizer and other goods, analysts have cautioned.

"Even if the Strait is considered reopened, this does not automatically mean traffic will normalize immediately," Dimitris Ampatzidis, Maritime Risk & Compliance Manager at Kpler, told NBC News this morning.

The analyst added that around 500 vessels were in the strait at the time of writing, and that it would take roughly two or three months to return to prewar movement.

Looking at Marine Traffic, a vessel-tracking website, only four vessels crossed the waterway yesterday, and at 4 a.m. ET this morning it appears that one tanker only, the Disha, had crossed it.

"The key point is that the strait may reopen quickly from a political or security perspective, but the commercial shipping system is likely to normalize gradually. We would also remain cautious given how fragile the wider regional situation still appears," Ampatzidis said.

Trump to face European allies at odds with him over two wars at G7 summit

Trump will touch down in France today for a summit meeting with allies who are at odds with him over a pair of wars: one they don’t believe he should have started, and another they want him to do more to stop.

Trump will spend two days at the Group of Seven (G7) meeting of advanced democracies in the resort town of Evian-les-Bains, in which both the Iran war and Russia-Ukraine conflict figure to loom large.

Tehran residents cautiously welcome U.S.-Iran peace deal

On the streets of the Iranian capital, residents responded to the initial agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

Russia hails progress toward deal, warns of 'fragile' peace

Washington and Tehran have made significant progress toward a settlement but peace remains fragile, Russia’s foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin said this morning.

“In short, peace is still fragile. However, the extensive work carried out by both sides, together with the mediators, to draft such a preliminary memorandum provides grounds, if it is ultimately signed, for efforts to restore peace in the Middle East to continue,” Naryshkin told Russian state news agency Tass.

Russia, a strong ally of Iran, has itself been mired in a war with Ukraine for more than four years, with the U.S.-led negotiations to settle the conflict currently stalled amid the Trump administration’s focus on the Middle East.

Qatari mediators leave Tehran, will hold prep meetings before deal signing this week

Qatari mediators have left Tehran after 17 hours of intensive negotiations, a regional diplomat briefed on developments tells NBC News.

A deal has been reached, and separate preparatory meetings with each side will now take place in Doha this week, ahead of the official signing in Switzerland and the start of the technical talks.

Britain's Starmer says U.S.-Iran deal a ‘significant breakthrough’

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the agreement was very significant, adding that he had discussed the agreement with Trump on Saturday.

“Obviously, nothing is guaranteed, but it is, I think, a significant breakthrough, a very significant breakthrough. Hopefully, something which as we work together we can turn into that enduring peace that we all want to see,” Starmer said today at a news conference.

Shipping association BIMCO says Strait of Hormuz remains risky for vessels

The Baltic and International Maritime Council, the world’s largest international shipping association, said this morning that it remains risky for vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz despite the agreement announced last night.

“The statements by the U.S. and Iran are currently unclear and do not offer sufficient information regarding key aspects such as timings and safe routes,” BIMCO said in a statement.

"Due to lack of details and a history of overly optimistic reassurances, we believe the security situation for the shipping industry remains volatile," it added.

China hails agreement and hopes Strait of Hormuz will reopen soon

China welcomes the U.S. and Iran reaching an initial agreement and appreciates Pakistan's mediation efforts, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters today during a regular news briefing.

"The Strait of Hormuz is an important waterway for international navigation. Restoring stability in the strait serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community," he said.

"We hope that safe and free navigation in the strait will be restored at an early date."

Netanyahu wants a meeting with Trump to discuss the Iran deal, Israeli official says

An Israeli official briefed on the matter told NBC News that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to seek a meeting with Trump in order to discuss the Iran deal that the president announced last night.

“Netanyahu is trying to arrange a meeting with President Trump to go there,” said an Israeli official briefed on the matter, speaking about potentially going to Washington.

It was first reported by CNN that Netanyahu was seeking a meeting with the president following the G7 summit.

Iran foreign minister says Israel must halt attacks against Lebanon

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said this morning there is a need to stop “the aggression and destabilizing attacks” by Israel against Lebanon.

Araghchi was speaking during separate phone calls with his counterparts in Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.

A heavily damaged building in the centre of Nabatieh, Lebanon this morning. Abbas Fakih / AFP via Getty Images

He also referred to United States' responsibility for implementing the agreement, and thanked Turkey, Iraq and Egypt for their support of efforts to secure the deal, according to a post on his Telegram.

Tentative deal sends stocks soaring while oil prices fall

World share prices soared after the tentative deal was announced, while oil prices fell more than $4 a barrel.

The future for the S&P 500 was up 1.2% and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1%, auguring likely early gains for Wall Street.

In early European trading, Germany’s DAX advanced 1.7% to 25,066.48, while the CAC 40 in Paris also added 1.7% to 8,410.36.

Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.8% to 10,553.18.

U.S. and Iran reach framework deal to end war, reopen Strait of Hormuz

An agreement has been reached between the United States and Iran to end fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to President Donald Trump and Iranian officials.

“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

A signing was scheduled for Friday in Switzerland, Pakistan said.