Iran's Supreme Leader has ridiculed Donald Trump's 'desperation' to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after accepting a peace agreement to end the conflict and lift the current US naval blockade on conditions regarded as highly advantageous to the Islamic Republic.
"As you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and the United States of America," Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement on Thursday, reports the Mirror. "In the course of reaching this stage, the officials in charge, out of sincere concern and goodwill, made extensive efforts—and of course, it was the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about."
Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the provisional agreement on Wednesday, concluding the three-month conflict. A social media post by US Central Command subsequently confirmed that it would no longer impose a blockade on maritime traffic entering and leaving the Strait of Hormuz, while Vice President JD Vance informed reporters that 12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait on Wednesday.
The US Navy presently has more than a dozen vessels, including two aircraft carriers, stationed in the waters off Iran. Central Command stated that US Navy ships "will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect."
Elsewhere in his message, Khamenei stated that while he "held a different view" to the Iranian president on how to handle Trump, he was persuaded to approve the peace deal after receiving assurances from Pezeshkian that "if the American side seeks to make excessive demands, they will not submit to them."
"From this moment on, we—that is, you, the proud nation, and this humble servant—will await the realization of the aforementioned conditions," he added.
The Trump administration has faced criticism from prominent figures within their own Republican party over the deal. Vance, however, urged them to "have a little bit of faith in the president of the United States."
"The idea that he is going to strike a deal that's bad for the American people, it's preposterous," Vance said. Vance added that the administration has to continue to explain the deal to the American people. "I think that when people get to understand not just the agreement, our negotiating posture as a country, they will realize this is an excellent thing for the American people. That's part of our job. We've got to tell the story about what this means for Americans."
Under the terms of the agreement, Iran is required to immediately take measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and will be permitted to sell its oil without restrictions. Iran is also expected to receive at least $300 billion to rebuild following the war, while steps will be taken to lift all American and United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran.
The US and Israel went to war on February 28 in part to prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, although Trump's objectives in the conflict have repeatedly changed. The interim deal halts the war before that goal is achieved and instead, it creates a two-month window for nuclear negotiations and appears to grant Iran several advantages immediately while demanding little in return.
Former Vice President, in Trump's first term, Mike Pence told CNN that he believes the peace deal with Iran is "much bigger than a mistake," calling it a "deeply ill-advised" act of "appeasement." Meanwhile, Israeli analyst Danny Citrinowicz described the agreement as a strategic "catastrophe." What had been presented as a joint US-Israeli operation to weaken, or even overthrow the Islamic Republic has, in his view, transformed into American recognition of Iran.
"We went to topple the regime with US backing and ended with Washington effectively giving legitimacy and strengthening the same regime we wanted to bring down," said Citrinowicz, a senior Iran researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies.
He argues the deal delivers none of Israel's fundamental requirements: no restrictions on Iran's missile programme or proxies and no clear route to dismantling its nuclear facilities. Even Israel's campaign in Lebanon has been limited by the ceasefire framework imposed at Iran's insistence.
The repercussions are both political and strategic. The agreement undermines Netanyahu's stance on Iran and lays bare the boundaries of his influence with a US president widely regarded as a close ally of Israel.
"Israel has been isolated, after this war, both in the region and in the world," said one Iranian official, who declined to be named. "Iran got what it wanted...We did not abandon our friends, such as Hezbollah, rather, we were even prepared to go to the extent of walking away from the table and returning to war because of them," added another.
