Cyprus hails agreement to halt US-Iran war

Cyprus’ foreign ministry on Monday hailed the United States’ and Iran’s announcement of an agreement which will bring a halt to the war which broke out between the two countries in the spring. “The agreement represents a critical step for sustained de-escalation across the region, including Lebanon, and for the restoration of freedom of navigation, and provides a renewed momentum towards a comprehensive negotiating framework for a lasting settlement of the nuclear issue and all other critical issues,” it said. It added that it encourages “all parties” to “seize this opportunity and remain committed to dialogue, restraint and diplomatic engagement”. The deal was mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, and was first announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday night. He said that the two countries had agreed to a “permanent termination of military operations on all fronts”, including in Lebanon. Later, United States President Donald Trump declared that the “deal” with Iran was “complete”, and said, “I hereby fully authorise the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and simultaneously herewith, authorise the immediate removal of the United States naval blockade”. “Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow,” he added. His Vice President JD Vance said of the deal that “I think we can safely say, with confidence, that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon”. Iran’s Mehr news agency said that the agreement contains 14 points, including a “permanent and immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon”, the complete lifting of the naval blockade within 30 days, a US commitment to withdraw its forces from around Iran, and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, it reported that within 60 days of the deal’s signing, US$24 billion in Iranian assets frozen by the US will be released, while during those same 60 days, negotiations will be held with the aim of reaching a conclusive agreement on the question of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The announcement of an agreement was welcomed elsewhere in the world, with Greece’s foreign ministry offering praise for “all diplomatic efforts that contributed to this positive development”. “We encourage continued engagement through dialogue and diplomacy. The restoration of unconditional freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, along with ongoing efforts aiming at lasting peace, security and regional stability, are currently of paramount importance,” it said. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the announcement as “an important development for establishing peace and tranquillity in our region”. “I sincerely hope that this news, which the entire world has long needed, will pave the way for the establishment of a lasting environment of peace and security in our region. I emphatically underscore the need to avoid rhetoric, provocations and actions which could escalate tensions in the period leading up to the signing,” he added. He also called on the international community to “remain vigilant against possible sabotage” and said that Turkey will “continue to support all efforts aimed at establishing peace, stability and tranquillity in our region”, and “contribute to solutions based on diplomacy and international law”. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was measured in his reaction, saying that “obviously, nothing is guaranteed, but it is, I think, a significant breakthrough”. The deal is expected to be signed in Geneva on Friday.