Iran-US war latest: Supreme Leader says Trump made a deal out of ‘desperation’ after US lifts naval blockade – UK Times

We look at the main obstacles to a more long-term peace and what happens now the documents have been signed:

Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, said he approved the peace deal with the US despite having a “different view”.

“But I issued my permission due to the commitment” made by officials including Pezheshkian to “protect the rights of the Iranian nation”.

“Face-to-face negotiations” with the US will be held in the future, but that does not “mean accepting the enemy’s point of view”, he said.

He said US president Donald Trump acted “out of desperation” to secure the deal and used “all kinds of leverage” to have it signed.

“He also made clear that if the American side seeks excessive demands, they will not accept them,” Khamenei said.

Oil prices fell to their lowest level on Friday since 2 March as tankers resumed passing through the Strait of Hormuz after the US lifted its blockade on Iran, reopening a key shipping route under an interim agreement designed to end the three-month war.

But Israel continued its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising questions about whether the agreement would hold.

The return of maritime traffic through the strategic waterway eased fears of a prolonged disruption to global energy supplies, weighing on crude prices.

Brent crude futures slipped 1% to $79.03 a barrel and were on track for a weekly decline of 9.5%, as traders grew increasingly confident that Gulf oil exports would continue to flow without major interruption.

The US Department of Defence needs $80bn to cover costs from the ⁠Iran ​war ⁠as well as ⁠other non-war-related bills, ​deputy ⁠defence ‌secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers in ‌phone calls ‌this week, the ⁠Wall Street Journal said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the ‌matter.

Since the war began on 28 February, lawmakers have repeatedly sought a comprehensive estimate of its cost, while warning that the conflict has drained valuable munitions stockpiles that may be required to address security challenges elsewhere.

The U.S. released the 14-point interim agreement on Wednesday as Trump signed the documents in Versailles, France. The terms included stopping the conflict and reopening the vital shipping route the Strait of Hormuz, but also financing Iran’s recovery with a $300bn fund and scrapping sanctions.

“Reagan is rolling over in his grave,” said Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy on Wednesday, referring to the former president Trump admires.

US vice president JD Vance has withdrawn from a planned trip to Switzerland, where he had been expected to meet Iranian negotiators for talks on implementing the recently signed US-Iran peace agreement, according to the White House.

The talks, which were expected to begin in Geneva on Friday, were aimed at working through the technical details of the 14-point accord reached by Washington and Tehran to end months of conflict between the two countries.

A White House spokesperson said the US delegation had been prepared to travel as soon as arrangements for the negotiations were finalised.

“But the logistics of these negotiations have ​never ⁠been simple or predictable,” the statement said.

The development comes amid uncertainty over the next phase of diplomacy.

While US officials had signalled plans for a formal signing ceremony in Geneva, Iran’s foreign ministry questioned the need for such an event after the agreement was already signed by both countries’ presidents on Wednesday.

Iran has also indicated that it wants to see evidence that Washington is implementing the interim deal before committing to further negotiations. Iranian media reported earlier that Tehran had not yet confirmed whether its delegation would travel to Geneva.

The diplomatic wrangling raises fresh questions about the durability of the ceasefire agreed between the two sides and the prospects for a lasting settlement after a conflict that has killed thousands, disrupted energy markets and rattled the global economy.

US President Donald Trump said at a ceremony celebrating recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest award for US military valor in action, on Thursday that he was “so proud” of the Armed Forces.

US Vice President JD Vance is not leaving for talks with Iran in Switzerland Thursday night, Washington time.

“As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, and the U.S. delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity”, a White House spokesperson said, per a press pool report.

“But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now the Vice President is not departing tonight”.