US President Donald Trump said on June 15 a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has already been signed by the United States and Iran, though details have yet to be made public.
“The deal’s all signed. And the strait is already partially opened,” Trump said after arriving in France for a summit of the G-7 group of big economies, adding that Vice-President J.D. Vance would attend a formal signing ceremony in Geneva on June 19.
The agreement would reopen the blockaded Strait of Hormuz and extend a ceasefire for 60 days, allowing negotiators to tackle difficult issues like the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Oil prices fell to their lowest level since March 10, shortly after the conflict cut off one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
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PHOTO: REUTERS
US President Donald Trump joined global leaders on June 15 at the Group of Seven summit at a French lakeside resort, where he touted his preliminary deal to end the Iran war and said he would now seek to end the fighting in Ukraine and Lebanon.
Trump’s arrival at the G-7 summit in Evian-les-Bains comes as global leaders grow increasingly wary of the United States. While many of them expressed relief over a deal that could bring closure to the Iran conflict, it was tempered by unease over new Trump tariff threats aimed at France and his warnings about the dangers of immigration.
In comments to the press alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said a memorandum of understanding aiming to end the war in the Gulf has already been signed by the United States and Iran, but he was unclear on when the text would be released.
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PHOTO: REUTERS
The European Union on June 15 moved Ukraine’s bid to join onto the next stage after a long delay – but Kyiv still has a long and tricky path ahead to becoming a full member.
Foreign ministers from the 27-nation bloc formally kicked off negotiations with Ukraine and neighbouring Moldova on aligning with a first “cluster” of EU laws.
Ukraine was stuck for some two years as Hungary’s nationalist leader Viktor Orban vetoed all progress, but his election defeat by rival Peter Magyar in April opened up the way.
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PHOTO: AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on June 15 that the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran had spared his country from what he described as the Islamic republic’s threat of “nuclear annihilation”.
In his first public remarks since the United States and Iran announced an agreement in the early hours of June 15 to end the Middle East war, Netanyahu also said that Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria for “as long as necessary”.
Speaking at a televised press conference, Netanyahu, who has faced severe criticism over his handling of the war and what critics describe as his failure to influence Washington’s negotiations over the deal, sought to highlight what he portrayed as the campaign’s major achievements.
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PHOTO: EPA
Belgium and Egypt drew 1-1 in their World Cup opener on June 15 after a second-half Belgian equaliser spoiled Mohamed Salah’s 34th birthday.
Emam Ashour opened the scoring early in the first half in Seattle, before Romelu Lukaku came off the bench after the hour to force Egypt’s Mohamed Hany into an own goal.
With the draw, seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions Egypt’s wait for a first victory at a World Cup goes on.
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