live Trump Insists No Tolls For Hormuz Passage -- Unless Imposed By The US

Over several months of war and then cease-fire between the United States and Iran, hearing the voices of ordinary Iranians has become increasingly difficult amid a growing climate of fear.

Some brave individuals have continued to speak to journalists from foreign news organizations, including RFE/RL's Radio Farda, though almost always insisting on anonymity. This was also the case as news broke that a framework deal had been announced by Washington and Tehran.

But in many cases even sources who have previously been prepared to bear witness to events in their country have gone silent.

Some have recounted being warned by security officials not to speak in particular to US state-funded Persian-language media, such as Radio Farda, amid a crackdown in which the Iranian authorities say they have charged increasing numbers with espionage for "cooperation with the enemy."

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that his country will host the ceremony for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States.

Speaking in the lower house of the Pakistani parliament on June 15, Sharif said “with the Grace of God, Pakistan will host the ceremony” in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 19.

He added that Tehran and Washington had agreed an “immediate and permanent” end to the military operations on “all fronts, including Lebanon.”

US President Donald Trump said late on June 14 that a framework agreement had been reached to halt fighting in the Middle East, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and end the US blockade of Iranian ports.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk says that Iran has executed at least 40 people on "national security grounds" since the start of 2026, including 18 protesters, amid an intensifying crackdown following anti-government demonstrations earlier this year.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council on June 15, Turk said he felt "deeply for the people in Iran, caught between war and cruel repression" and accused authorities of escalating restrictions on civic freedoms after the deadly suppression of protests in January.

He also welcomed the newly announced US-Iran peace agreement, saying all parties should work to implement it "quickly and in good faith."

Rights groups say Iran carries out more executions than any other country except China.

With reporting by AFP

In the first official Israeli reaction to the agreement between Iran and the United States, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that US President Donald Trump's deal "does not bind us" and that Israel was "not party to this agreement."

In his Telegram post on June 15, he added that Israel "must not settle for anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah" and should not withdraw from territory captured in southern Lebanon.

Separately, Israeli Defense Minister Israeli Katz said on June 15 that his country's forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely, hours after the Washington and Tehran announced their agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East, including in Lebanon.

Katz said the Israel Defense Forces would remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza "for an unlimited period of time, in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against jihadist elements."

He did not make make any direct reference to the US-Iran agreement in his statement.

With reporting by AFP

European Council President Antonio Costa has welcomed the newly announced agreement between Washington and Tehran, saying he looked forward to an end to the "costly war" and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Costa commended the "tireless diplomatic efforts" that made the deal possible and said "weapons must now fall silent," urging that remaining disputes be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law.

He added that the European Union was ready to help advance a strategy for lasting peace across the Middle East.

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a top supporter of President Donald Trump and also a vocal opponent of the regime in Tehran, said he was "pleased" to hear the announcement of a peace deal but that he was "somewhat concerned" about apparent differences in the two sides' views of the accord.

"I am pleased to hear the memorandum of understanding with Iran to allow the Strait of Hormuz to open has been agreed to. I will be watching closely the ensuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program and other matters,' the Republican from South Carolina wrote on X.

"I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming," he added.

Graham pointed out that "under our law, any nuclear deal with Iran will be sent to Congress for review and a vote."

"I look forward to reviewing the final product and I believe it is imperative that the architect of the deal, Vice President [JD] Vance and his negotiating partners, be part of the process in presenting the final deal to Congress."

"Time will tell," he concluded.

Oil prices fell sharply early on June 15 and Asian stock markets soared after the US and Iran announced they had reached a framework deal to end the war in the Middle East.

The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was down 4.7 percent at $80.89 a barrel and North Sea Brent Crude fell 4 percent to $83.81.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index jumped 5 percent, while South Korea's benchmark Kospi index soared 5.5 percent.

US stock futures were also sharply higher. Most US stock markets open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.

"This is a first-step deal, not a final peace settlement," Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management was quoted by AFP as saying.

"The market will now trade verification," he said, referring to the June 19 official signing, mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz, and Israeli reaction in Lebanon.

"It is a marketable ceasefire framework that kicks the hard problems down the road," he added.

With reporting by AFP

Britain, France, Germany, and Italy said they were prepared to lift some sanctions imposed on Tehran as they welcomed an accord announced by Washington and Tehran to end the war in the Middle East.

"We are prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear program. We will work intensively with the US, Iran and regional partners to seize this moment, maintain momentum and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement," a joint statement read.

"Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. We stand ready to work with the US, Iran and the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] to this end," it added.

British ⁠Prime ⁠Minister ‌Keir Starmer was among Western leaders to welcome the agreement reached between Washington and Tehran to end the war.

"We are clear that toll-free ‌freedom of navigation must now be restored in the Strait of Hormuz," ‌he ⁠said, adding ‌that "Iran must never have a nuclear weapon."

Starmer congratulated US President Donald Trump and mediators on the "breakthrough" after Trump said an agreement "is now complete" and that Strait of Hormuz shipping route would be reopened without tolls.

"This is a hugely important step forward in ending the war, ensuring regional stability, and re-opening the Strait of Hormuz," Starmer said in a statement.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday welcomed the US-Iran peace agreement -- which includes a permanent cease-fire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz -- as a "critical step" toward resolving the war in the Middle East.

"The Secretary-General hopes that the parties will build on this new momentum and redouble their efforts toward a final resolution of the conflict," Guterres said in a statement attributed to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

US President Donald Trump and Pakistani mediators said the peace accord is scheduled to be signed on June 19 in Switzerland. Although some issues reportedly have been decided, others matters will be subject to negotiations over the next 60 days, officials said.