DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United States and Iran reached an initial agreement Monday that would extend their shaky ceasefire and lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz , but significant challenges remain, including whether Israel will continue its offensive in Lebanon.
Details of the agreement were not immediately released, but it appeared that it would not be implemented until it is signed, which mediator Pakistan said would happen Friday in Geneva. Until then, shipping will likely remain restricted in the strait, which is a crucial passage for the world’s oil and gas and the closure of which has sparked a global energy crisis.