Ajay Kumar Verma
US Iran deal LIVE updates: In this first remarks since the US-Iran peace deal was signed virtually on Wednesday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that Israel will not withdraw its troops out of southern Lebanon, despite it being a stern point from Iran to sign the deal.
“We will restore security to the north. This requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon, and it requires that we not leave it as long as Israel’s security needs demand it,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying in a Times of Israel report.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed three people in Lebanon on Thursday in two separate incidents. According to Lebanese state media National News Agency, the first attack took place in the town of Kfar Tebnit, where a car with two people was targeted by a drone. In a separate attack, a man was killed in a drone strike in the southern town of Zebdin, according to NNA.
Negotiating period officially begins, says JD Vance
US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the 60-day negotiating period with Iran has official begun. “I would say the 60-day period officially started today. It was signed late, and it may have even been signed technically, you know, because of the time shift, I think it’s signed technically today, Iran time.”
He further said that he is “not at all” worried about being blamed if the deal with Iran falls, after US President Donald Trump joked that he’d blame his vice president if it falls apart.
“No, not at all,” he responded when asked during a White House press briefing if that prospect concerned him.
US removes blockade on Iranian ports
US Central Command on Thursday said it has lifted its blockade on “all maritime traffic entering and exiting” Iranian ports.
“ All U.S. military blockade enforcement efforts have ceased. Our great Naval Ships will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect.”
Vance during a press briefing in White House said that the US Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war.
Initial talks in Switzerland
The Swiss government has confirmed that initial talks between the United States and Iran are planned at the Buergenstock mountaintop resort in Switzerland on Friday, June 19. This comes after the two countries signed an interim peace deal to end months of war.
“As things stand, the plan is still for the U.S. and Iran, along with mediators Pakistan and Qatar and other involved countries, to meet tomorrow at Buergenstock for initial negotiations about implementing the agreement,” Swiss foreign ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“No further information is currently available regarding the schedule and details of this meeting,” it added.
Pakistan PM says Hormuz will be opened
Leaders of Iran and the US have signed a memorandum of understanding, an interim document to end the Middle East war, mediator Pakistan has confirmed. ‘It shall enter into force with immediate effect”, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.
Following the signing of the interim deal, Sharif said that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US would lift the naval blockade.
Sharif said Pakistan and co-mediator Qatar will still host an official signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland. His statement came shortly after Trump said he’d signed the agreement during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles.
Trump says Iran would have used nuclear weapons
Trump claimed that Iran was all prepared to use nuclear weapons, but the US stopped it. “Iran would have 100% used a nuclear weapon, they were on the way; We went in to put out the fire,” Trump said on the sidelines of G7 summit in Paris.
French President Emmanuel Macron shared first visuals of US President Donald Trump signing the MoU to end Iran war during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles in Paris. “This agreement paves the way for lasting peace and allows the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It is an important step in the right direction for our compatriots that will soon enable a decrease in energy prices,” Macron wrote on X.
What is inside the agreement?
The agreement calls for Tehran to, at a minimum, dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and would waive but not permanently end sanctions on the country, the Associated Press reported, citing US officials.
The agreement would also open the Strait of Hormuz toll-free for two months and affirm a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s invasion against the Hezbollah militant group.
…Read More
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed three people in Lebanon on Thursday in two separate incidents. According to Lebanese state media National News Agency, the first attack took place in the town of Kfar Tebnit, where a car with two people was targeted by a drone. In a separate attack, a man was killed in a drone strike in the southern town of Zebdin, according to NNA.
Negotiating period officially begins, says JD Vance
US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the 60-day negotiating period with Iran has official begun. “I would say the 60-day period officially started today. It was signed late, and it may have even been signed technically, you know, because of the time shift, I think it’s signed technically today, Iran time.”
He further said that he is “not at all” worried about being blamed if the deal with Iran falls, after US President Donald Trump joked that he’d blame his vice president if it falls apart.
“No, not at all,” he responded when asked during a White House press briefing if that prospect concerned him.
US removes blockade on Iranian ports
US Central Command on Thursday said it has lifted its blockade on “all maritime traffic entering and exiting” Iranian ports.
“ All U.S. military blockade enforcement efforts have ceased. Our great Naval Ships will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect.”
Vance during a press briefing in White House said that the US Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war.
Initial talks in Switzerland
The Swiss government has confirmed that initial talks between the United States and Iran are planned at the Buergenstock mountaintop resort in Switzerland on Friday, June 19. This comes after the two countries signed an interim peace deal to end months of war.
“As things stand, the plan is still for the U.S. and Iran, along with mediators Pakistan and Qatar and other involved countries, to meet tomorrow at Buergenstock for initial negotiations about implementing the agreement,” Swiss foreign ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“No further information is currently available regarding the schedule and details of this meeting,” it added.
Pakistan PM says Hormuz will be opened
Leaders of Iran and the US have signed a memorandum of understanding, an interim document to end the Middle East war, mediator Pakistan has confirmed. ‘It shall enter into force with immediate effect”, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.
Following the signing of the interim deal, Sharif said that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US would lift the naval blockade.
Sharif said Pakistan and co-mediator Qatar will still host an official signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland. His statement came shortly after Trump said he’d signed the agreement during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles.
Trump says Iran would have used nuclear weapons
Trump claimed that Iran was all prepared to use nuclear weapons, but the US stopped it. “Iran would have 100% used a nuclear weapon, they were on the way; We went in to put out the fire,” Trump said on the sidelines of G7 summit in Paris.
French President Emmanuel Macron shared first visuals of US President Donald Trump signing the MoU to end Iran war during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles in Paris. “This agreement paves the way for lasting peace and allows the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It is an important step in the right direction for our compatriots that will soon enable a decrease in energy prices,” Macron wrote on X.
What is inside the agreement?
The agreement calls for Tehran to, at a minimum, dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and would waive but not permanently end sanctions on the country, the Associated Press reported, citing US officials.
The agreement would also open the Strait of Hormuz toll-free for two months and affirm a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s invasion against the Hezbollah militant group.
Follow all the updates here:
Jun 19, 2026 2:04:32 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: EU says too soon to discuss lifting sanctions on Iran
Kaja Kallas, vice-president of the European Commission, says that the issue of lifting EU sanctions on Iran will be addressed once there is an Iranian nuclear deal.
“Once the conditions allow, of course, member states will discuss whether the lifting of sanctions is [appropriate], but we are not there yet,” Kallas told reporters ahead of a summit with leaders of EU countries.
The EU currently maintains multilateral sanctions targeting over 700 individuals and entities in Iran, which include travel bans and asset freezes.
Jun 19, 2026 1:21:12 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Trump envoy says Iran to invite IAEA for nuclear sites inspection after deal
Iran will invite the IAEA to inspect nuclear sites after the US-Iran deal, Donald Trump envoy Steve Witkoff told US lawmakers, AP reported, quoting sources.
Jun 19, 2026 1:03:34 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Hezbollah reports fresh clashes as Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 3
Hezbollah said its fighters were engaged in fresh clashes with the Israeli military on Thursday, hours after Lebanese state media reported that Israeli strikes in the south killed three people.
The fighting came a day after the United States and Iran signed an agreement to end the Middle East war on all fronts, including in Lebanon.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, said on Thursday it was fighting “a force of the Israeli enemy army that attempted to advance from the town of Arnoun towards the outskirts of Kfar Tibnit”, near the key town of Nabatieh.
“The clashes are still ongoing,” it added in the statement released in the late afternoon.
Jun 19, 2026 12:35:31 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: CENTCOM announces lifting of Iran naval blockade
“Today, U.S. forces lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, in accordance with the President’s direction. American forces are not impeding the transit of vessels to or from Iranian ports. All U.S. military blockade enforcement efforts have ceased. Our great Naval Ships will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect,” CENTCOM said.
Jun 19, 2026 12:31:50 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Iran says will issue Hormuz permits as ‘quickly as possible’
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the Persian Gulf Strait Authority has been charged with issuing permits as quickly as possible.
It has also said that the Strait of Hormuz traffic will be increased gradually. Measures on mine clearance will be carried out under the Islamabad MoU, though ships are advised to stick to the path and timing allocated by the authority, the statement published by state media added.
Jun 19, 2026 12:22:32 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Iran says no toll on passing Strait of Hormuz for 60 days
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has said that, based on the MOU with the U.S., no fees will be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, state media reported.
It has also said tha fees will be covered by Iran during the 60-day period.
Jun 19, 2026 12:19:06 AM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US treasury imposes sanctions on Lebanese officials for aiding Hezbollah
The US government has announced sanctions against several Lebanese officials it said were aligned with Hezbollah and members of the sanctioned Alaa Hassan Hamieh business network for obstructing Lebanon’s peace process and delaying the disarmament of Hezbollah.
The US treasury department said its Office of Foreign Assets Control was also designating individuals in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Oman who it claimed were raising funds and operating front companies to generate revenue for Hezbollah.
Jun 18, 2026 11:37:40 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Trump says expect a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel
US President Donald Trump said in an apparent message to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyau that Washington expects a complete ceasefire on all fronts, “including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel.”
Jun 18, 2026 11:34:47 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Iran’s supreme leader says approved US deal despite having ‘different view’
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that he had approved a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war despite having a “different view”, without elaborating.
“In principle, I had a different view, but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable (Iranian) president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front,” said Khamenei, who has not been seen in public, in message read on state television.
Jun 18, 2026 11:33:11 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Iran supreme leader says direct talks with US do ‘not mean accepting its views’
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that future talks with the United States would be held directly but that did not mean “accepting its views”.
“It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s point of view,” Khamenei said in a message read on state television, his first reaction to the Iran-US deal ending the war that broke out late February.
Jun 18, 2026 10:44:20 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US military lifts blockade on Iranian ports
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US Central Command on Thursday said it has lifted its blockade on “all maritime traffic entering and exiting” Iranian ports.
“All U.S. military blockade enforcement efforts have ceased. Our great Naval Ships will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
Jun 18, 2026 10:33:29 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: JD Vance rebukes US critics in Israel
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Vice President JD Vance rebuked US critics in Israel against “attacking the only powerful ally” it has left. He lashed out at members of the Israeli government, warning them that “Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time.”
Vance said he plans to travel to Switzerland for talks on the Iran deal but he doesn’t know when that will happen. He had been expected to lead talks on implementing the agreement with Iran aimed at diluting its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and restarting oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
via AP
Jun 18, 2026 10:27:58 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US allows more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting blockade under deal, Vance says
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the U.S. Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war.
Vance made the announcement at a White House press briefing, where he said more oil is now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Republican vice president said more than 12.5 million barrels went through the shipping channel Wednesday night.
“So we’re also honoring our end of the early part of the agreement on the military side,” Vance said, citing it as an immediate benefit of the deal as he downplayed criticism that the agreement tilts in favor of Iran.
Via AP
Jun 18, 2026 9:43:28 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Vance doesn’t think messaging ‘has been chaotic’
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US vice president JD Vance said he doesn’t think public messaging from the White House “has been chaotic” regarding the agreement with Iran.
“Well, I don’t think our public messaging has been chaotic. I think dealing with a fractured Iranian system, where communication isn’t great, is just sometimes something that we don’t fully appreciate, or we don’t fully understand,” Vance said during a White House press briefing Thursday.
Jun 18, 2026 9:42:33 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Vance says technical talks on Iran set to begin this weekend, but that may change
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US vice president JD Vance said on Thursday that technical talks on the Iran deal were scheduled to begin this weekend, provided the Iranian team can get to the talks.
“We think these technical negotiations are going to start sometime this weekend. That’s still the plan, but that could change,” Vance said at a White House briefing, adding that Iran is a hard country to get out of.
Via Reuters
Jun 18, 2026 9:40:47 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Netanyahu underscores maintaining good ties with US
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Netanyahu underscored the importance of maintaining Israel’s close ties with the US, saying Washington had stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Israel during the war with Iran, AFP reported.
“The struggle is not yet over, and further challenges lie ahead. They require calm judgement, steadfast defence of Israel’s security interests, and at the same time the preservation of our vital relationship with our American friends, who stood shoulder to shoulder with us in this fight — a partnership we deeply appreciate,” Netanyahu said at a function, according to a statement issued by his office.
Jun 18, 2026 9:33:01 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Vance says he’s not worried about being blamed if Iran deal falls apart
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US vice president JD Vance on Thursday said he is “not at all” worried about being blamed if the deal with Iran falls, after US President Donald Trump joked that he’d blame his vice president if it falls apart.
“No, not at all,” he responded when asked during a White House press briefing if that prospect concerned him.
“I think the president was joking, as he often does,” Vance added.
Jun 18, 2026 9:31:27 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: 60-day negotiating period between US and Iran officially begins, says JD Vance
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US Vice President on Thursday said that the 60-day period to reach a final agreement with Iran as set forth in the memorandum of understanding begins today.
Addressing a White House briefing, Vance said, “I would say the 60-day period officially started today. It was signed late, and it may have even been signed technically, you know, because of the time shift, I think it’s signed technically today, Iran time.”
Jun 18, 2026 8:44:04 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: In first reaction since deal, Netanyahu says Israel will not withdraw troops out of Lebanon
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that Israeli troops will not withdraw out of southern Lebanon, even as US President Donald Trump has criticised him of extending the war and Iran has kept it as a stern condition to sign the peace deal.
In his first remarks since the deal was signed virtually by Trump and Iran’s President on Wednesday, Netanyahu remarked, “We will restore security to the north.”
“This requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon, and it requires that we not leave it as long as Israel’s security needs demand it.”
Jun 18, 2026 7:55:01 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Three killed in Lebanon, says state media
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Lebanon’s state media National News Agency (NNA) reported today that three people were killed in Israeli drone attacks in two separate incidents.
According to the report, the first attack took place in the town of Kfar Tebnit, where a car with two people was targeting by a drone.
The two have been identified as Bilal Kamal Hayek and Ali Ismail Tufaili. HT could not verify the identities independently.
In a separate attack, a man was killed in a drone strike in the southern town of Zebdin, according to NNA.
Jun 18, 2026 7:38:06 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Qatar welcomes signing of deal between US and Iran.
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Qatar has welcomed the electronic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran aimed at addressing outstanding issues, including the cessation of military operations and ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Qatar considers this a renewed affirmation of the two sides’ commitment to resolving their differences through negotiation and peaceful means as well as to enhancing prospects for sustainable peace and economic growth at both the regional and international levels,” it said in a press release.
Jun 18, 2026 7:29:10 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: At least 7 vessels have traversed the Strait of Hormuz so far on Thursday
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Seven vessels have traversed the Strait so far on Thursday, data from Marine Traffic shows. Four cargo ships, a French flagged LNG tanker and a Cook Islands flagged bitumen tanker all exited the strait towards the Gulf of Oman.
The other vessel, the Panama flagged Starway, entered the Strait heading toward the Persian Gulf. Capable of carrying over 46,000 tons of oil, Starway turned off it’s AIS transponder, effectively hiding it from view, a tactic that has become more common since the strait’s initial closure in March.
via CNN
Jun 18, 2026 7:19:47 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Trump says Pope Leo ‘commends’ the deal
US Iran deal LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump on Thursday posted on Truth Social, “Pope Leo commends US-Iran peace deal.”
This comes after Trump clashed with the pontiff in April, openly condemning him after Leo criticized the war.
Jun 18, 2026 7:07:40 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: China welcomes MoU between US and Iran
US Iran deal LIVE updates: China welcomes the signing of MOU between Iran and the US and hopes that it will be implemented by both sides in good faith.
“For peace to prevail, the actions of parties concerned, including Israel, should be conducive to the MOU’s implementation and the next phase of negotiations,” its foreign ministry said.
Jun 18, 2026 7:01:34 PM IST
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Netanyahu trying to influence peace deal, says report; ‘skeptical of Iran’s intentions’
US Iran deal LIVE updates: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is aiming to influence the final Iran deal, using right-wing media figures and friendly senators to exert pressure on President Donald Trump, CNN reported citing an Israeli source.
Netanyahu has been skeptical of Iran’s intentions throughout the talks with the US, believing they were never willing to negotiate in good faith. Netanyahu still assesses there will not be a final deal between the US and Iran, the source told CNN, and that Tehran will not genuinely agree to restrictions on its nuclear program.
Now that Trump has signed the memorandum of understanding with Iran and triggered 60 days of negotiations, the Israeli leader is trying to leverage right-wing media figures, such as pro-Israel podcaster Mark Levin, to get his message out. On Wednesday, Levin said the deal “doesn’t make any sense” and called the reconstruction fund for Iran a “slush fund.”
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