A landmark agreement between the United States and Iran was reached late Sunday night, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced, capping an extraordinarily turbulent day that had opened with an Israeli military strike in Beirut throwing the entire diplomatic process into jeopardy. The deal, whose formal signing is set for Friday, June 19, in Switzerland, includes an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts — including in Lebanon.

Sharif announced that mediators would facilitate a series of pre-implementation meetings during the coming week to lay the groundwork for the technical discussions ahead of the signing. In his statement, he extended thanks to the United States and Iran for their commitment to a diplomatic resolution, singled out Qatar’s leadership for what he described as vital support in reaching the agreement, and paid tribute to Saudi Arabia and Turkey for their “immense contributions” to the process.

President Trump confirmed the deal in a spcial media post. “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

The agreement came after hours of frenzied back-channel diplomacy during which the deal had appeared to be in serious danger. The day had been marked by an unprecedented public rupture between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an initial Iranian rejection of U.S. overtures, and intense mediation efforts by a coalition of countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

The crisis was set off by a Hezbollah drone attack earlier in the day, in which several drones penetrated Israeli airspace and exploded in Israeli territory. Though no casualties were reported, Israel’s military authorized a retaliatory strike against Hezbollah infrastructure in the Dahieh suburb of Beirut — the very day the U.S.-Iran framework was expected to be signed.
In an extraordinary public rebuke of a sitting Israeli prime minister, Trump issued a blistering post on Truth Social shortly after the Beirut strike, writing: “This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran.”

Trump went on to argue that the provocation Israel was responding to was disproportionately minor. “Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process,” he wrote.

The President also claimed that the U.S.-Iran agreement would encompass Lebanon — and called on all sides to stand down immediately. “We are very close to a deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down,” he wrote. “There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!”

In his most blunt remarks, Trump told journalist Barak Ravid of Axios: “Why did Bibi carry out this attack? Hezbollah fired and hit the middle of nowhere. Nobody was hurt. Then he had to carry out that… attack, and in Beirut of all places. It really angered me.” He added: “Bibi has no… judgment. I passed that message to him. I’m very unhappy.”

Despite the disruption, Trump said he believed the signing could still take place. “We were supposed to sign the agreement this morning and the Israeli strike in Beirut delayed it,” he said. “I think the signing will still happen today in a few hours. But the Israeli strike shook things up.”

Even as Trump spoke publicly, American diplomats were scrambling behind the scenes to contain the fallout. Reports emerged that the U.S. administration had offered Iran financial incentives in exchange for refraining from a military response to Israel’s Beirut strike. Tehran rejected the overture. Iranian officials stated flatly: “We will not betray our allies [Hezbollah]. The response is close.”

Channel 12 subsequently reported that Iran was still weighing the incentives on offer from Washington — based on information from two Western sources — and that intensive negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were ongoing to prevent Tehran from firing missiles at Israel.

Israeli officials assessed that the Trump administration would likely offer Iran additional concessions — beyond those already on the table — in exchange for continued restraint. The nature of those reported concessions was not publicly disclosed, but the issue was said to be the central focus of diplomatic activity. U.S. officials simultaneously made clear to Israel that Jerusalem should not, under any circumstances, take any action that could jeopardize the agreement — and that even in the event Iran did respond militarily, Israel would be expected to refrain from retaliating.

Israel’s Channel 12 further reported that Trump had communicated strong warnings to Iran that if Tehran dared attack — triggering an Israeli response and further escalation that would collapse the negotiations — he would hold Tehran responsible for the consequences.
Trump’s unusually harsh public statements landed with significant force in Jerusalem. One of Netanyahu’s closest associates told Channel 12 that Trump’s Truth Social post was received with astonishment. A senior Israeli official went further, describing Trump’s remarks as a fundamental challenge to the bilateral relationship. “Trump’s announcement is a resounding slap in the face,” the official said. “The restrictions have reached a new level — the expectation that we not strike inside Lebanese territory is inconsistent with the notion of a strategic ally.”

The Israeli reaction reflected weeks of building tension within the government over the scope of military freedom Israel would retain as U.S.-Iran diplomacy progressed. Defense officials have argued that any restriction on the IDF’s operational latitude carries significant security and political implications. An ongoing internal debate in Jerusalem had centered on exactly how constrained Israeli military options would be, particularly in Lebanon, as the two powers moved closer to a deal.

Deepening the complexity of the crisis, Maariv reported — citing two Israeli officials — that Trump had raised the issue of the Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon and on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon in recent conversations with Netanyahu. Among the options discussed is a full Israeli withdrawal from all five IDF-held positions in southern Lebanon as well as from its foothold on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon.
These steps, according to the report, are being considered as part of broader understandings that would include a comprehensive ceasefire and the cessation of all offensive military activity across the region.

Israeli sources noted that discussions are no longer limited solely to immediate security concerns for the north, but extend to broader questions of Israel’s position and leverage as wider regional diplomacy unfolds.

Significant questions remain unanswered, including the precise terms of the nuclear provisions, the mechanism for verifying the ceasefire in Lebanon, and Israel’s posture toward the agreement — particularly given the public friction with Washington that dominated much of the day. Jerusalem has not officially responded to the deal announcement.