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As agreement comes into force, chief Iranian negotiator calls the MOU a ‘failure’ for US, says Tehran to charge Hormuz shipping fees after 60 days * Trump doubles down on claim that Iran should keep some ballistic missiles
18 June 2026, 1:48 am
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The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they unfold.
US official confirms Trump has signed deal with Iran, which is now in effect
US President Donald Trump has signed a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war, a US official tells AFP after Axios reported that the signing took place during a dinner with France’s president and the agreement is now in effect.
“Can confirm the signing,” the official says when asked about the report that Trump personally signed a copy during dinner with Macron at the Palace of Versailles following a G7 summit.
A US official clarifies to Reuters that Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed it after the memo was first signed digitally on Sunday by Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and witnessed by Trump.
Iran says MOU has been signed by US and Iranian presidents: ‘Now it’s time to test the implementation’
The text of the agreement between the United States and Iran has been officially signed by the presidents of both sides, Iran state media reports, citing foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.
“The text of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding was finalized with the signatures of the presidents — now it is time to test the implementation of the agreement,” Baghaei says, quoted by the state news agency IRNA.
Iran’s chief negotiator calls deal a ‘failure’ for US, says Tehran to charge Hormuz shipping fees after 60 days
Iran’s chief negotiator says the deal with Washington to end the Middle East war after more than three months is a “failure” for the United States.
“The agreement is a record of US failure. People will see it and judge,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says on state TV after the text was released by both sides.
He also repeats that Tehran will charge ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz after a 60-day fee-free period stipulated in the memorandum of understanding with the US.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the “Strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-war conditions,” adding: “Iran has the right to sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and of course we will receive a fee for services.”
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Trump doubles down on claim it’s ‘unfair’ if Iran not allowed to keep some ballistic missiles
US President Donald Trump doubles down on his assertion that Iran be allowed to maintain some ballistic missiles.
“If other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some,” Trump tells reporters in France.
“A ballistic missile is not the same thing as what we’re talking about when we talk nuclear,” he continues.
“But if Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and they all have some, I would say that in relative proportion, I think it’s okay” for Iran to have ballistic missiles, Trump adds.
Read the full article at The Times of Israel →
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