The United States and Iran have reached a tentative agreement to extend a shaky ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy supplies, according to officials Monday. The deal, brokered with the help of Pakistan, is set to be signed Friday in Geneva, but significant obstacles remain, particularly regarding Israel's military operations in Lebanon.
The agreement would not take effect until signed, meaning shipping restrictions in the strait will likely continue. The closure has triggered a global energy crisis, spiking fuel prices worldwide.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated Monday that Israel will not withdraw from seized territory in Lebanon, where its forces are battling the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. Israel joined the U.S.
in launching the war on Feb. 28 but is not a party to the deal.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel will continue to defend itself against any threat, which could derail the agreement since Iran demands an end to fighting in Lebanon as a condition.
The accord also faces challenges regarding Iran's nuclear program. It provides only 60 days to decide the fate of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which the U.S.
and Israel fear could be used for an atomic weapon. Tehran insists its program is peaceful.
The 2015 nuclear deal, from which President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. in his first term, took years to negotiate and its collapse set the stage for the current war.
Despite uncertainties, world leaders from Europe to China welcomed the deal, which aims to end a conflict that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including top Iranian leaders. The war has raised prices for fuel, food, and other essentials globally.
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel expressed caution, noting, "It's a long time till Friday."
President Trump, facing pressure ahead of November's midterm elections, hailed the agreement on social media, saying he authorized the Strait of Hormuz to open and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports to end, but later clarified the strait would not open until Friday.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the agreement on state television but said Iran would not implement it until signed.
Early in the war, Iranian attacks on ships nearly halted traffic in the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passed before the conflict. Trump responded with a blockade.
Energy experts predict it will take months for companies to resume operations to meet global demand.
Preparatory meetings between Iranian and U.S. officials are scheduled in Doha, Qatar, this week, according to a diplomat with direct knowledge of the talks.
Meanwhile, Israel's bombing of Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday nearly derailed negotiations, and previous attacks led to reciprocal strikes between Iran and Israel. Katz also threatened that if Iran attacks Israel over strikes in Lebanon, Israel will respond with "great force."
Over the past 2.5 years, Israel has taken control of 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of territory in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Hezbollah has not yet commented on the deal.
The Associated Press reported from Athens, Greece, with contributions from multiple bureaus.