LIVE War in the Middle East: An Israeli soldier killed in southern L…

The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Thursday that “first negotiations” would take place on Friday near Lucerne (center) on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran.

“At present, it is still planned that the United States and Iran, as well as the mediators Pakistan and Qatar, will meet tomorrow at Bürgenstock to begin the first negotiations on the implementation of the agreement,” announced the ministry, removing the vagueness that hung over this meeting announced Tuesday in a luxury hotel in Bürgenstock, a mountain overlooking Lake Lucerne in the center of the Alpine country.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday that it was ready to begin defining the “concrete measures” which should be taken, after the signing of the agreement between Iran and the United States which provides for the dilution of Iranian uranium stocks under the supervision of the organization.

“Now it is up to us to sit down with our American and Iranian colleagues, and to begin to define the concrete measures that will have to be taken” within the framework of negotiations to come within 60 days, the director declared to the press in Geneva. General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi.

Beijing said Thursday it welcomed the signing by the American and Iranian presidents of a memorandum of understanding providing for the immediate cessation of their hostilities, and called on both camps to compromise in the next phase of their negotiations.

The signature “has a positive meaning to ease tensions and strengthen the dynamics of the ceasefire. China welcomes this development,” said Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian. “China hopes that both the United States and Iran will approach the second phase of negotiations in a rational and pragmatic manner, and make reciprocal concessions,” he added during a regular press briefing in Beijing.

Oil prices accelerate their fall this Thursday at the end of Asian trade, dropping more than 3%, in a market relieved after the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran providing, among other things, for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Around 8:25 a.m., the price of a barrel of North American WTI fell by 3.40% to $74.18, and that of Brent from the North Sea, the world market benchmark, fell by 3.02% to $77.15.

The text of the memorandum of understanding, read on Wednesday by a senior American official to journalists, provides that the United States will suspend, upon signature, its sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil. They also undertake to lift all of their sanctions against Tehran in the event of the conclusion of a final agreement, at the end of a 60-day negotiation period.

During these two months, the two countries will discuss a mechanism to process Iranian uranium stocks “using, at a minimum, an on-site dilution method under the supervision of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)”, underlined this official, wanting to see it as a “major victory” for Washington.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States to end the war in the Middle East means that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened “instantly” and that the American blockade of Iranian ports will end “immediately”, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday.

This protocol “will come into force with immediate effect and, as a first step, the Islamic Republic of Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz without delay and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade,” Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X. He also confirmed that a ceremony will take place on Friday in Switzerland “to commemorate this significant event and kick off the technical discussions.”

The Israeli army announced this Thursday the death of one of its soldiers, the day before, during an incident in southern Lebanon during which seven other soldiers were injured.

The soldier, a 29-year-old staff sergeant, “fell in combat in southern Lebanon,” the army said. The other seven were moderately or lightly injured.

This death occurred a few hours before the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran providing for an immediate end to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon.

The memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, which includes the Lebanese front, was signed Wednesday evening by Donald Trump, visiting France. “I just signed it,” he told the press as he left the Palace of Versailles. A White House official subsequently published a video on X where we see the Republican signing the agreement alongside Emmanuel Macron.

The text “was finalized by the signature of the presidents” of Iran Massoud Pezeshkian and the United States, declared for his part the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaïl Baghaï.

Hello everyone. Like every day, the editorial staff of 20 Minutes is mobilized to give you all the information on the situation in the Middle East.

De-escalation is confirmed between Iran and the United States. Presidents Massoud Pezeshkian and Donald Trump signed their memorandum of understanding remotely on Wednesday, a celebration of which is planned for this Friday in Switzerland, opening a two-month period of negotiations to end the war. If the text also covers Lebanon, the tension is still as tense there as ever between Israel and Hezbollah.