The US and Iran have agreed a deal to end the war, which mediator Pakistan says will be signed in Switzerland this week.
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By Nathan Morley<\/p>\n
The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to end the war, a breakthrough Pakistan says will be formally signed on Friday in Switzerland, marking what mediators describe as the most credible step toward peace after months of stalled efforts and false starts.<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump said the deal includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key demand for Washington since the conflict began. In Tehran, the deputy foreign minister announced on state television that an agreement had been secured, while Iran\u2019s top military leadership hailed the outcome as a victory for the country.<\/p>\n
Pakistan, which announced late Sunday that the deal had been reached, said the agreement would halt \u201cmilitary operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.\u201d Israel has not yet issued a formal response. However, on Monday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israel Defence Forces intended to maintain their presence in Lebanon \u201cwithout any time restraints,\u201d signalling that Israeli operations there would continue despite the wider cease-fire framework.<\/p>\n
The war erupted on\u00a0Feb. 28, when U.S. and Israeli strikes hit targets across Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile attacks on Israel and U.S.-aligned states in the Gulf. The conflict quickly spread, drawing in regional actors and raising fears of a broader confrontation.<\/p>\n
For Iran\u2019s Arab Gulf neighbours, there is now what diplomats describe as a \u201csense of relief.\u201d The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were all struck by Iranian missiles during the fighting, and officials in the region have been urging a negotiated end to the conflict for weeks.<\/p>\n
Egypt\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the agreement a \u201chighly significant development,\u201d saying it would help restore \u201csecurity and stability\u201d across the Middle East and beyond.<\/p>\n
European markets reacted positively to news of the framework deal. Stocks opened higher on Monday, with Germany\u2019s DAX and France\u2019s CAC 40 both up about 1.7% as investors welcomed signs of de-escalation.<\/p>\n
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