On June 14, 2026, the US-Iran ceasefire was announced as U.S. President Donald Trump, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi reached an agreement to halt hostilities. A mediation mission led by Pakistan, with active participation from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, concluded an intensive 17-hour round of negotiations in Tehran. The official signing ceremony for the memorandum is scheduled for Friday, June 19, in Geneva, Switzerland. The document calls for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. However, with four days remaining until the signing, the situation remains fluid, as has often been the case in the Middle East.
Washington’s Position on the US-Iran Ceasefire
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the deal, stating: “The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is done. Congratulations to everyone! I hereby fully authorize the free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and simultaneously authorize the immediate lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Ships of peace, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” Trump later clarified to reporters that tankers would be allowed through immediately after the official signing in Switzerland. U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that he plans to personally attend the ceremony in Geneva, adding that Trump himself might fly in to showcase a major foreign policy achievement.
Statements from Iran and Pakistan
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the ceasefire on X, adding that mediators will hold a series of technical meetings in Doha this week to finalize the details. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed on state television that the text is ready. However, the Iranian side pragmatically emphasized that signing the memorandum does not imply trust in their historic adversary, noting that the agreement was prepared amid mutual skepticism. The exact technical and geopolitical concessions made by both sides remain confidential.
Israel’s Reaction: “We Were Set Up”
In Israel, news of the deal between Washington and Tehran triggered deep anxiety, sharp criticism, and a strong sense of geopolitical isolation. The country was entirely excluded from the negotiation process. A vast majority of Israeli politicians and military analysts agreed that the Trump administration made a major strategic error by offering the Iranian regime an economic lifeline just as it faced potential collapse under the weight of sanctions and military strikes.
The reaction within the Israeli establishment exposed deep divisions. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated: “Israel does not take orders from the U.S. We are an independent and sovereign nation. My position is clear: we are not party to this agreement, which does not address our security. We must not withdraw from any territory captured by our fighters.” Opposition leader Benny Gantz called the deal a “strategic failure” that would force the IDF to wage a difficult, solitary military campaign in the coming years. Politician Yair Golan openly accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of permitting an agreement that leaves Iran’s nuclear facilities intact. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s office has attempted to publicly soften its stance to avoid damaging relations with the White House, expressing hope for a future dismantling of the nuclear infrastructure. Privately, however, officials admit: “We were set up; our opinion was ignored.“
Israel’s Key Objections to the U.S. Memorandum
Israeli experts, including former National Security Advisor Jacob Nagel, and the newspaper Maariv have highlighted four key vulnerabilities in the agreement:
- Ignoring the nuclear program: The memorandum does not address the issue of enriched uranium, merely postponing discussions on the nuclear issue for 60 days. The entire nuclear infrastructure remains intact, making the deal weaker than Barack Obama’s 2015 agreement.
- Funding proxy forces: Lifting the naval blockade, unfreezing assets, and granting Tehran access to oil revenues will inject billions of dollars back into the regime’s treasury, a portion of which will inevitably fund the revival of regional militant groups.
- The Lebanon trap: The ceasefire clause covering “all fronts, including Lebanon” is completely unacceptable to Jerusalem, which views the clearing of Hezbollah from southern Lebanon as an independent security operation and refuses to withdraw its troops.
- Trump’s tactical public relations: The agreement is described as vague and temporary. Analysts argue that the White House sought a quick, high-profile victory (partly driven by the ongoing World Cup in the U.S.), sacrificing the core security concerns of its allies for a media success.
Ultimately, Israel views Iran as the clear tactical winner of this round in the Middle East conflict. Having secured a reprieve and access to frozen assets, Tehran has preserved its regional influence. The Israeli military is now forced to prepare for independent, unilateral, and potentially intense military operations against Iran without the direct support of its primary strategic ally.