Keir Starmer, prime minister of the UK, left, works with Sanae Takaichi, prime minister of Japan, at 10 Downing Street in London, UK, on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
Andy Rain | Bloomberg | Getty Images
World leaders have welcomed the US-Iran deal to end the conflict in the Middle East, as some European countries have reportedly indicated that they are willing to lift sanctions on Tehran in order for the country to take steps to curb its nuclear program.
After more than three months of war, the US and Iran reached an agreement on Sunday that will quickly and permanently end the conflict, according to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with a signing scheduled for Friday in Switzerland expected to open 60 days of further negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
US President Donald Trump has said he will authorize the immediate lifting of the US Navy blockade. Although the final terms have not yet been released, Iranian state media reported last Friday that a 14-page draft memorandum includes the US lifting oil sanctions and Iran committing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days.
The UK, France, Germany and Italy said in a joint statement after the agreement was announced that “Iran must never get a nuclear weapon. We are ready to cooperate with the US, Iran and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) so far,” according to Reuters.
“This is a time of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilize the world economy,” the group, known as E4, in a statement, calling for an agreement to be “immediately and completely” and that “the urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with unconditional and unrestricted freedom is essential.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the deal as “a very important step towards ending the war,” while insisting that the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint that was effectively closed during the war, must remain “fully and permanently open.”
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the country welcomes the agreement as “a big step in resolving the situation,” according to a Google version of his statement to X on Monday.
“We very much hope that this memorandum will be gradually implemented, that free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz will be truly guaranteed, and that a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear issue and other issues will be achieved as soon as possible,” Takaichi said.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also praised the agreement in a statement, calling it “an important step in consolidating stable peace and promoting economic growth in the region and around the world.”
The deal came after months of stalled talks and unrest in the region since late February, roiling global energy markets and fueling fears of a global recession.
Oil fell after the deal was announced on Sunday, with Brent crude down nearly 4% to $83 a barrel and WTI down 4.8% to $80.8.
