WASHINGTON DC: The United States has lifted its naval restrictions on Iran following the signing of an agreement aimed at ending the conflict that has destabilized the Middle East.
In a statement posted on X, the United States Central Command said the maritime measures had been withdrawn in line with President Donald Trump’s directive, although some American naval assets would continue operating in the region.
Shortly afterward, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said he had endorsed the agreement despite holding reservations about it. Without providing details, he said he approved the deal after receiving assurances from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Iran’s national interests and rights would be safeguarded.
Khamenei claimed that President Donald Trump had resorted to every available form of pressure “out of desperation” to secure the agreement.
He added that future face-to-face talks between Tehran and Washington were likely but stressed that such negotiations should not be interpreted as Iran accepting the position of its adversaries.
The remarks mark Khamenei’s first public response to the agreement. He has remained largely out of public view since assuming office in March after the death of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 that triggered the wider regional conflict.
Trump did not directly address Khamenei’s comments. However, he wrote on Truth Social that he expects ceasefires to take hold across the region, including between Israel and the Iran-backed organization Hezbollah in Lebanon. He also expressed hope that Middle Eastern countries would continue supporting the diplomatic process.
The agreement between Washington and Tehran reportedly includes 14 key provisions, among them the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a commitment that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons, and the creation of a $300 billion reconstruction and economic development fund for Iran. The deal does not obligate the United States to contribute financially to that fund.
(Inputs from BBC)
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