US-Iran war ends: How peace deal impacts Strait of Hormuz, nuclear program

The United States and Iran officially reached a peace accord on Sunday and all military operations between the two nations will end immediately.

President Donald Trump confirmed the agreement in a post that also indicated the Strait of Hormuz will reopen and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will be lifted. 

What we know:

All military operations between the U.S. and Iran, which began more than 15 weeks ago, will stop immediately on all fronts, including in Lebanon, explained Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif, whose nation had been mediating many of the peace negotiations. 

President Donald Trump indicated on Saturday that a deal had been reached and laid out two of the key agreements in the truce. In his post, Trump stated Tehran would abandon all ambitions of possessing a nuclear weapon by halting its own program and agreeing not to try to procure one through other means. The president also said that the Strait of Hormuz, whose closure sent gas prices soaring and created an energy bottleneck around the world, would open immediately afterward.

Sharif added that an official signing ceremony is set for Friday, and will be held in Switzerland. 

What we don't know:

While there have been reports in the lead up to the signing of some of the proposed terms expected to be in the agreement, few of the specifics have officially been laid out. 

Additionally, the exact fate of Iran’s nuclear program has yet to be determined. It was reported that the deal would include a 60-day period during which the U.S. and Iran would determine the technical details of removing the uranium.

The final effects of the peace deal on the conflicts between Israel and its neighbors have not been stated either. Sharif did state, though, that Lebanon is included in the commitment to stop military operations. Tehran insisted that a peace deal would include an end to the fighting between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in that country as well. 

What they're saying:

President Donald Trump revealed the agreement had been finalized shortly before 5:30 p.m. in a social media post where he wrote, "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"

His post came about 15 minutes after Sharif's post in which the Pakistani leader celebrated the end of the conflict.

"Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED," Sharif wrote. "Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon."

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What's next:

According to Sharif, mediators will begin preparations for another series of meetings this week. He explained these talks are meant to lay the foundation for further discussions about the technical details of the agreement and the signing ceremony.

Fate of the Strait

Trump’s post Sunday indicated the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, and commercial traffic will not have to pay tolls to pass to their destination. Previously, Iran had been pushing for a system that would have ships pay "for services rendered" to navigate the vital waterway. 

In addition to the strait reopening, the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will be lifted.

There are also concerns about potential mines that may be peppering the strait and would need to be removed.

The war begins

The backstory:

The U.S. military launched Operation Epic Fury at the end of February and, in conjunction with its allies, commenced airstrikes on Iran. The initial round of attacks targeted Tehran’s nuclear facilities and killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, among other Iranian leaders.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes against Israel, which had participated in the U.S. onslaught, as well as Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. 

The ceasefire

After more than a month of fighting, during which Tehran shut down the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, a ceasefire between the two countries was declared on April 8. The ceasefire did not fully end hostilities, however, as sporadic attacks and counterattacks occurred during that time. 

Over the past week, the ceasefire was severely tested and open war across the Middle East was back on the table after Iran launched missiles at Israel in response to its attacks on Beirut suburbs. Over the ensuing days, the U.S. and Israel launched multiple airstrikes and Iran fired missiles at Israel and U.S. allies.

Negotiations continued, though, and, on Saturday, Trump posted that a deal was imminent, and the two sides would be signing the agreement soon.