Australia welcomes US-Iran agreement, wants ‘continued restraint’
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More news: Australia has welcomed news of an agreement between the US and Iran but warned “continued restraint” will be needed for the deal to hold.
In a joint statement on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed reports that the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz would be reopened as part of the agreement.
But they warned that the damage caused by the war, launched by the US and Israel in February, would “take time, restoring this vital trade corridor is essential to easing pressure on energy prices and economies”.
“We will continue to do all we can to shield Australians from the worst impacts of this conflict,” they said.
A number of key sticking points in the US-Iran relationship, including the future of Tehran’s nuclear program, remain unresolved and will be discussed during a 60-day ceasefire extension.
What they said: “Continued restraint and constructive engagement will be essential to prevent further escalation and secure a lasting agreement,” Albanese and Wong said.
US and Iran agree deal to end war, Trump and Pakistan say
The news: The United States and Iran have reached a deal to end their war, with an official signing ceremony set for Friday in Switzerland, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced.
What they said: Sharif said both sides had declared the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts,” including in Lebanon.
Soon after that, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that “the Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” authorising the toll-free reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the immediate removal of the US naval blockade.
There was no immediate public confirmation from Iran.
The context: The agreement was struck despite an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday that drew criticism from both Iran and Trump.
Multiple sources told Reuters the deal would reopen the strait, end the US blockade of Iranian ports and extend a ceasefire, while leaving Iran’s nuclear program to 60 days of further talks.
A senior Iranian official told the news agency the US would release USD25 billion in frozen Iranian assets while Iran agreed not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons.
The FT, citing a person briefed on the matter, reported Iran would clear mines in the strait over the first 30 days and not charge tolls during the 60-day period.
The sources: Shehbaz Sharif, Donald Trump, Reuters, The Financial Times, Albanese and Wong statement
