US and Iran Sign 14-Point Deal to End War and Reopen the Strait of Hormuz

A signed peace deal sits on the table. Commercial ships are moving again through the Strait of Hormuz. And yet, in southern Lebanon, the strikes have not stopped — and Iran is threatening to close the strait once more. That is the fragile, contradictory state of the Middle East as of late June 2026.

Around June 14–15, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding intended to end a war that had raged for months and to reopen the world’s single most important oil passage. CNN published the full text of the memorandum on June 17. Whether it holds is now the central question of global diplomacy.

What the deal contains

The memorandum is a framework, not a final treaty. Its central bargain pairs sanctions relief and the resumption of Iranian oil sales with security commitments and the reopening of Hormuz. Under the terms, Iran agreed to allow safe passage of commercial vessels at no charge for 60 days, with the longer-term administration of the route to be negotiated with Oman.

The 60-day window doubles as a clock: it opens a negotiating period meant to produce a final agreement, including on the most contentious issue of all, Iran’s nuclear program.

The United States, for its part, ended its naval blockade of Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command said all blockade enforcement had ceased.

Why Hormuz matters

The Strait of Hormuz is not a regional concern; it is a global one. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passed through the narrow waterway before the war. Its closure sent energy markets reeling and its reopening is the most tangible economic dividend of the deal — which is precisely why Iran’s threats to close it again carry such weight far beyond the Gulf.

How we got here

The current crisis is the second act of a conflict that began in 2025. A ceasefire from the so-called “Twelve-Day War” of June 2025 held until February 28, 2026, when Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iran reignited the fighting. The months that followed — described in coverage by their day count, past 110 days — were among the most intense the region has seen in years.

The Lebanon wildcard

The greatest threat to the deal is not at the negotiating table but in southern Lebanon. Israeli strikes on Hezbollah have continued despite the memorandum, with casualty figures reported in waves — dozens killed across mid-June, according to accounts that differ by day and source. Iran has linked its own commitments to a halt in those strikes, making Lebanon the fault line on which the truce could crack.

The diplomatic machinery is feeling the strain. U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended the deal publicly and framed the memorandum as the start of a 60-day push toward a final agreement — but a planned trip to Switzerland for talks was cancelled at the last minute after Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon.

What to watch

Three questions will determine whether the memorandum becomes a lasting peace or a brief pause. Will the final-deal negotiations actually convene within the 60-day window? Will the strikes in Lebanon stop long enough for Iran to stay at the table? And will Hormuz remain open — or will Tehran, citing alleged violations, follow through on threats to close it again?

For now, the guns have largely quieted and the oil is flowing. In a conflict this volatile, that is both a genuine achievement and a deeply provisional one.

Casualty figures in this report are as reported by news organizations and varied across sources and dates; readers should consult primary coverage for the latest confirmed tallies.

Sources

1. CNN — Full text of the US–Iran memorandum of understanding (June 17, 2026)
2. NBC News — Strait of Hormuz to reopen under 14-point deal (June 15, 2026)
3. Al Jazeera — What the 14-point plan says about Lebanon, Hormuz and uranium (June 18, 2026)
4. Al Jazeera — Israeli strikes on Lebanon threaten talks (June 20, 2026)