US-Iran deal: Tehran says Israel withdrawal from Lebanon key

Qatar said a deal between the US and Iran could boost security in the Middle East.

"We are cautiously optimistic that the signing of the memorandum of understanding will lead to the next phase of regional security through the talks that will take place on the nuclear programme and on other issues," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed Al Ansari said.

On the sidelines of the G7 summit, Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, held talks with President Donald Trump.

Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates were expected to discuss the war-driven economic fallout with G7 leaders.

Pakistani and Qatari officials will attend Friday's formal signing of the memorandum.

Qatar said, however, that rebuilding trust will take time after Iran struck targets across the Gulf during the war.

"I can't say that we are returning to business as usual in our region with our neighbours ... there is a lot of need for dialogue and for agreement over how to guarantee the security of our region," Al Ansari siad

A potential US-Iran agreement could lower energy, fertilizer and food prices in Africa if the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens.

"This is the best news for Africa in a long time," Samuel Nyandemo, an economics professor at the University of Nairobi, told DW.

For Nyandemo, the impact would extend well beyond energy markets.

"Once the route is opened, we expect smooth mobility of goods and services," he said, noting that exports to Europe and Asia could again flow without costly detours, stabilizing supply chains and cutting transport expenses.

However, oil exporters such as Nigeria and Angola might have to cope with less revenue, experts say.

Find out how Africa could be among the main indirect beneficiaries of the end of the Iran war, by clicking here. 

Iran has executed two men convicted over anti-government protests that peaked in January 2026.

State media describe Javad Zamani and Abolfazl Saedi as "armed leaders of early 2026 unrest."

They were found guilty of "moharebeh," or waging war against God, and "corruption on earth," both capital offenses in the Islamic Republic. 

The United Nations reports at least 40 executions in 2026 so far, including 18 tied to protests.

President Donald Trumpsaid US agreement with Iran explicitly prohibits the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

"The only thing that really matters to me is Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and it says it loud and clear," he told reporters on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France.

Trump also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be "more responsible" in dealing with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Lebanon was pulled into the war in March when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel after the killing of Iran's supreme leader, prompting Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.

"I'm not happy with the way Israel has handled itself with Lebanon and with Hezbollah," he said.

He added that he suggested Israel allow "Syria to take care of Hezbollah."

Iran's nuclear program and the broader regional implications of the conflict involving Iran remain key issues in efforts to reach a final peace agreement.

Trump also said that "Iran has rational leadership now."

US Vice President JD Vance said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran aimed at ending the war is a "very general document."

He admitted the deal kicks the thorniest issues, especially Iran's nuclear program, down the road.

"The MoU is about a page and a half, so it is a very general document," Vance told CNN. 

The unpublished agreement calls for the "immediate" reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the blockade, a senior US official said, separately, on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the outline.

Vance later told Fox News that US President Donald Trump may decide to release the agreement before Friday.

Vance will travel to Geneva, where he and Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are expected to officially sign the deal. 

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, quoted on state television, said "the next round of negotiations will begin immediately after the signing of the agreement."

He added that it includes issues around Iran's nuclear program. Vance said that after the MoU is signed, Iran will allow international nuclear inspectors back into the country.

Iran says any peace deal with the United States must end the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

"The end of the war in Lebanon is an inseparable part of complete end of the war," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, according to Iranian state television.

"Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end," Araghchi said, adding that further Israeli attacks on Lebanon "will be considered by us a violation of the Memorandum of Understanding" with the US.

Tehran and Washington have announced a tentative agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

However, details of the interim deal remain unclear, as it has not been released publicly.

Araghchi's remarks come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will remain in areas they now control in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza "as long as necessary."

The interim agreement between Washington and Tehran got a warm reception on Monday. But by Tuesday, it was already clear that the hard work is only just beginning.

Both sides have acknowledged as much. US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi have both said publicly that more talks are needed before anything resembling a full peace deal can take shape.

Those talks are set to begin Friday, when the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Geneva will open a 60-day window for the two sides to work toward a broader agreement.

Plenty of thorny issues remain on the table, among them, the future of Iran's nuclear program and the ongoing Israeli military operations in Iran targeting Hezbollah.

We'll be tracking all of that here.