US President Donald Trump reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to peace in West Asia, declaring that the United States now expects a full ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel following the signing of a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding with Iran.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump struck an upbeat tone, pointing to falling oil prices and rising stock markets as early proof the agreement was working. He urged all sides in the region to give the deal room to take hold.
“The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold. The Markets are loving what is happening with Oil Prices way down, and Stocks way up. We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he wrote.
Vance: deal built on military gains, not concessions
Trump’s post came hours after Vice President JD Vance mounted a robust defence of the agreement at the White House, casting it as the natural follow-through on military pressure already applied to Tehran rather than a softening of America’s position.
Vance told reporters the US campaign had left Iran’s military severely weakened and its nuclear ambitions in ruins. “We destroyed a substantial number of their ballistic missiles and their ballistic missile launchers themselves. The nuclear weapons program is destroyed. It is gone,” he said.
He was careful to stress that neither side was being asked to forfeit basic protections. “Israel doesn’t give up the right of self-defence… The Iranians don’t give up the right of self-defence,” Vance said, while making clear Washington wants Tehran to abandon any pursuit of missiles capable of striking far beyond the region. He added that curbing Iran’s funding of militant groups and regional instability remained a core US objective.
A 60-day window to finalise terms
The signing has set in motion a 60-day negotiating period, during which both countries must work out the details of sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and the long-term future of Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Vance said parts of the deal were already being put into practice. The US Navy had cleared more than a dozen commercial ships to dock at Iranian ports, he said, while over 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night alone.
The memorandum also commits both sides to a permanent halt in military activity across several fronts, Lebanon included. The administration has billed the agreement as critical to averting a wider economic and energy shock, though critics argue that granting Iran early concessions could weaken America’s hand in the talks ahead.
Vance brushed aside those concerns, saying the White House would brief Congress on the deal and its rollout in the coming days.
(With ANI inputs)
