The United States and Iran have reached a preliminary agreement aimed at extending a shaky ceasefire and eventually reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed since the outbreak of the war. The deal, announced Monday, is set to be signed on Friday in Geneva, with Pakistan serving as mediator.
However, significant hurdles remain, including Israel's refusal to withdraw from Lebanese territory and the unresolved status of Iran's nuclear program.
The agreement, hailed by President Donald Trump on social media, would lift the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas shipments.
The strait's closure has triggered a global energy crisis, sending fuel prices soaring. Despite the announcement, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that implementation will not begin until the deal is formally signed on Friday.
Preparatory meetings between U.S. and Iranian officials are scheduled this week in Doha, Qatar.
A major sticking point is Israel's position. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel plans to remain indefinitely in areas it has seized in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.
Israel launched its offensive on February 28 alongside the U.S. and is not party to the agreement.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that Israel will continue to defend itself against threats, particularly from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran has made an end to the fighting in Lebanon a condition of any final deal, raising doubts about the agreement's viability.
Another challenge is the fate of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile. The deal gives only 60 days to decide on Iran's nuclear program, which the U.S.
and Israel fear could be used to produce atomic weapons. The 2015 nuclear deal, which President Trump abandoned during his first term, took years to negotiate.
The current conflict has caused thousands of deaths across the Middle East, including the assassination of Iran's top leaders, and has driven up prices for fuel, food, and other goods worldwide.
World leaders have cautiously welcomed the agreement. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel noted the uncertainty, saying, 'It's a long time till Friday.' In Tehran, posters of slain Iranian leaders line the streets, while in Lebanon, displaced people are beginning to return to their villages after the ceasefire announcement.
Energy experts warn it will take months for global energy markets to stabilize even after the strait reopens.