Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has accused Donald Trump of making a deal with Tehran out of “desperation”, as he confirmed his approval of the long-awaited plan.
The supreme leader said he authorised the agreement despite holding a different view, after receiving assurances from president Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials that Iran’s rights and the interests of the “Resistance Front” would be safeguarded.
Khamenei, who has not been seen since he was injured in the US-Israeli attacks on 28 February, added that future face-to-face negotiations with the United States would not mean accepting “the enemy’s position”.
The US military earlier confirmed it had lifted its blockade on Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz, as officials claim millions of barrels are once again flowing through the vital waterway.
The navy will “remain in the general area” to ensure the agreement with Iran is “adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect”, Centcom said in a statement.
In a press conference earlier on Thursday, vice president JD Vance said 12.5 million barrels of oil had passed through the strait the previous night, and that Iranian forces had not fired on any ships.
JD Vance issues scathing rebuke of Israel over Iran deal
Vice president JD Vance urged Israeli ministers to stop criticising president Donald Trump’s Iran deal, saying those who viewed Trump as Israel’s biggest problem needed to “wake up and smell the reality.”
Speaking at the White House, Vance said Trump was “the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel” and warned that Israel should not be attacking “the only powerful ally” it had left.
He also highlighted US military support, noting that “two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.”
In a separate interview, Vance criticised Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, saying Israel could not “just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.”
Trump has also pressed Israel to uphold the ceasefire, saying he expected a “complete Ceasefire on all fronts.”
Shweta Sharma19 June 2026 05:19
What next for Iran after Trump signs ‘disastrous’ deal to end war with $300bn boost and scrapped sanctions
The United States and Iran have signed an interim deal to end their war, setting the table for two months of talks aimed at resolving long-standing disputes.
We look at the main obstacles to a more long-term peace and what happens now the documents have been signed:
What next for Iran after Trump signs ‘disastrous’ deal to end war with $300bn boost
Trump is touting his deal with Iran as a great success. But experts say the US moves into talks after three months of fighting with less leverage and more to loseJames Reynolds19 June 2026 05:00
Iran’s supreme leader said he approved peace deal despite his ‘different view’
Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, said he approved the peace deal with the US despite having a “different view”.
“But I issued my permission due to the commitment” made by officials including Pezheshkian to “protect the rights of the Iranian nation”.
“Face-to-face negotiations” with the US will be held in the future, but that does not “mean accepting the enemy’s point of view”, he said.
He said US president Donald Trump acted “out of desperation” to secure the deal and used “all kinds of leverage” to have it signed.
“He also made clear that if the American side seeks excessive demands, they will not accept them,” Khamenei said.
Shweta Sharma19 June 2026 04:45
Oil falls as tankers return to Hormuz after blockade lifted
Oil prices fell to their lowest level on Friday since 2 March as tankers resumed passing through the Strait of Hormuz after the US lifted its blockade on Iran, reopening a key shipping route under an interim agreement designed to end the three-month war.
But Israel continued its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising questions about whether the agreement would hold.
The return of maritime traffic through the strategic waterway eased fears of a prolonged disruption to global energy supplies, weighing on crude prices.
Brent crude futures slipped 1% to $79.03 a barrel and were on track for a weekly decline of 9.5%, as traders grew increasingly confident that Gulf oil exports would continue to flow without major interruption.
Shweta Sharma19 June 2026 04:44
Watch: Iran’s supreme leader says Trump made deal ‘out of desperation’ as US lifts naval blockade
Rachel Dobkin19 June 2026 04:30
Pentagon tells lawmakers it needs $80bn for Iran war and other bills – report
The US Department of Defence needs $80bn to cover costs from the Iran war as well as other non-war-related bills, deputy defence secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers in phone calls this week, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Since the war began on 28 February, lawmakers have repeatedly sought a comprehensive estimate of its cost, while warning that the conflict has drained valuable munitions stockpiles that may be required to address security challenges elsewhere.
Shweta Sharma19 June 2026 04:15
Recap: ‘Worst foreign policy blunder in decades’: Republicans turn on Trump over Iran deal
Republicans have turned on Donald Trump over his plan to end the war with Iran, accusing him of making the “worst foreign policy blunder in decades”.
The U.S. released the 14-point interim agreement on Wednesday as Trump signed the documents in Versailles, France. The terms included stopping the conflict and reopening the vital shipping route the Strait of Hormuz, but also financing Iran’s recovery with a $300bn fund and scrapping sanctions.
“Reagan is rolling over in his grave,” said Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy on Wednesday, referring to the former president Trump admires.
Read the full story:
‘Worst foreign policy blunder in decades’: Republicans turn on Trump over Iran deal
Members of Trump’s own party line have lined up to condemn the deal, which pledges to help fund Iran and scrap sanctionsJames Reynolds19 June 2026 04:00
US vice president cancels trip for peace talks with Iran
US vice president JD Vance has withdrawn from a planned trip to Switzerland, where he had been expected to meet Iranian negotiators for talks on implementing the recently signed US-Iran peace agreement, according to the White House.
The talks, which were expected to begin in Geneva on Friday, were aimed at working through the technical details of the 14-point accord reached by Washington and Tehran to end months of conflict between the two countries.
A White House spokesperson said the US delegation had been prepared to travel as soon as arrangements for the negotiations were finalised.
“But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable,” the statement said.
The development comes amid uncertainty over the next phase of diplomacy.
While US officials had signalled plans for a formal signing ceremony in Geneva, Iran’s foreign ministry questioned the need for such an event after the agreement was already signed by both countries’ presidents on Wednesday.
Iran has also indicated that it wants to see evidence that Washington is implementing the interim deal before committing to further negotiations. Iranian media reported earlier that Tehran had not yet confirmed whether its delegation would travel to Geneva.
The diplomatic wrangling raises fresh questions about the durability of the ceasefire agreed between the two sides and the prospects for a lasting settlement after a conflict that has killed thousands, disrupted energy markets and rattled the global economy.
Shweta Sharma19 June 2026 03:56
Pictured: Trump signs interim peace deal with Iran
Rachel Dobkin19 June 2026 03:30
Watch: Trump says he is ‘so proud’ of US military
US President Donald Trump said at a ceremony celebrating recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest award for US military valor in action, on Thursday that he was “so proud” of the Armed Forces.
Rachel Dobkin19 June 2026 03:00NewerOlder