Britain, France, Germany, Italy welcome US-Iran peace deal, ready to lift sanctions

LONDON - The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy welcomed the US-Iran peace deal announced on Sunday in a joint statement.

"This is a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilize the global economy," BBC quoted the statement as saying.

While noting that Iran "must never acquire a nuclear weapon," the major European countries said they are "prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear program."

The European leaders urged the US-Iran deal to be "implemented rapidly and comprehensively," saying the "urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation is essential."

"We will work intensively with the US, Iran and regional partners to seize this moment, maintain momentum and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement," the statement added.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on social platform X that the United States and Iran had reached a peace agreement following intensive negotiations, with an official signing ceremony scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland.

Minutes later, US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social: "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete."

"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," he announced.

While hailing the US-Iran peace deal as "a hugely important step forward" on Sunday night, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged a full implementation of the deal, in particular the restoration of the toll-free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to ease "the severe economic impacts that have been felt for several months" worldwide.

"Attention must now turn to fully implementing the memorandum of understanding to ensure the Strait reopens and remains fully and permanently open, and that the detailed elements of the nuclear agreement are finalized," he said in a statement issued by Downing Street.

While welcoming the US-Iran peace deal, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an X post on Monday that a multinational escort mission, co-led by France and Britain, is "ready to support" the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"The resources are in place and ready to be deployed," Macron said.

"The resumption of maritime traffic, without restrictions or tolls, is an essential condition for regional stability and the global economy," he noted.

The French president called on all parties to the conflict to implement the peace deal "swiftly and fully."