Middle East live: Macron says G7 leaders to discuss 'long-term reopening' of Hormuz strait
· France 2415/06/2026 - 08:13
Israeli far-right minister slams US-Iran deal, urges stronger campaign in Lebanon
15/06/2026 - 08:08
US-Iran deal should immediately reopen Hormuz Strait, von der Leyen says
The agreement between the United States and Iran should allow for the "immediate reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
"The priority now is its swift and full implementation by all parties," von der Leyen said about the announced deal.
"Freedom of navigation must be restored toll-free. This is essential for regional stability and the global economy. It opens the door to broader negotiations on peace and security in the Middle East," she added.
Von der Leyen also said that peace in the Middle East was impossible "while Lebanon is in flames."
"Once again Europe calls on all parties to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity and implement a genuine ceasefire," she said.
15/06/2026 - 08:05
15/06/2026 - 07:56
Egypt FM welcomes US-Iran agreement to end war, says it could 'help restore regional and global security'
15/06/2026 - 07:53
EU will weigh participation in Middle East after US-Iran deal, Kallas says
The announced deal between the United States and Iran marks a "potential breakthrough" in the war and the EU will now weigh how it can be involved in the next phase, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
"From economic leverage to nuclear expertise and longstanding relationships with Gulf partners, the EU stands ready to contribute to a sustainable resolution," Kallas said in a post on X, before a meeting of foreign affairs ministers from the 27 EU member states in Brussels.
15/06/2026 - 07:29
LNG tanker Disha carrying Qatari cargo crosses Hormuz strait
A liquefied natural gas tanker chartered by India's Petronet crossed the Strait of Hormuz, heading east to exit the strait after the United States and Iran reached a peace deal, shiptracking data showed.
Data from Kpler and LSEG showed the vessel picked up itscargo at Qatar's Ras Laffan on March 1-2 and had been west of the strait since. While shiptracking data did not indicate the tanker's destination, a source familiar with the matter said the cargo will be delivered to the Dahej terminal in India.
15/06/2026 - 07:28
EU chief hails US-Iran deal to end 'costly war'
European Union chief Antonio Costa welcomed a deal between the US and Iran to end the Middle East war, adding that the bloc was ready to contribute to a strategy for "lasting peace".
"I look forward to an end to this costly war and to the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," Costa, the European Council President, wrote on X.
15/06/2026 - 07:23
🎥 US, Iran reach deal to end war
The United States and Iran agreed a peace deal and an "immediate and permanent" end to military operations on all fronts including Lebanon, mediator Pakistan said, signaling the apparent end to more than three months of war in Middle East.
The accord is set to be signed in Switzerland on the 19th of June. It follows weeks of discussions and back and forth attacks from both nations, with Iran threatening as late as Sunday to retaliate for Israel's deadly strikes on Lebanon.
15/06/2026 - 06:50
Iranian Americans plan protests and watch parties ahead of team's World Cup opener
Iranian Americans are torn over Iran's participation in the World Cup, as some community members plan to watch Monday's match and others plan to protest outside the stadium where the team will play.
A rally is planned for outside the stadium near Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. Many of Southern California’s Iranian Americans arrived after the Islamic Revolution, and a hub of eateries, shops and markets about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the stadium is known as “Tehrangeles.”
Rally participants plan to wear lion-and-sun T-shirts and wave the country's flag from before the 1979 Islamic Revolution in protest of Tehran’s deadly January crackdown on dissent.
15/06/2026 - 06:47
French-UK mission 'ready' to aid Hormuz reopening, Macron says
France's president said that a military mission set up by Paris and Britain to help with Strait of Hormuz traffic was ready to deploy, following the announcement of a deal to end the Middle East war.
His comments came after Washington and Tehran said they reached an agreement to end the war that the US and Israel launched on Iran in February, with a deal to be signed on Friday in Switzerland.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who is due to host US counterpart Donald Trump for a G7 meeting, said that the UK-France mission's "assets are in place and ready to be deployed."
"The resumption of maritime traffic, without restrictions or tolls, is an essential condition for regional stability and the global economy," he said in a post on X.
15/06/2026 - 06:45
UN Secretary General congratulates Iran and US on memorandum of understanding
15/06/2026 - 05:16
European powers ready to lift Iran sanctions after US–Iran agreement
The United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy said they were prepared to lift sanctions imposed on Iran, according to a joint statement on Sunday, welcoming an agreement reached between 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 programme. 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 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.”
15/06/2026 - 05:14
Welcome to the France 24 liveblog covering events in the Middle East. You can catch up on yesterday's developments here.
Yesterday's key developments:
• Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said early on Monday that the US and Iran have agreed to a memorandum of understanding to be signed in Switzerland on June 19, with both sides declaring "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon."
• The United States agreed to release $12 billion in frozen assets to Iran before the start of negotiations.
• The Israeli military continued to strike the southern suburbs of Beirut, claiming to have killed a senior Hezbollah militant, earning backlash as the US and Iran worked towards an agreement.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)