Morning update
Good morning Middle East Eye readers,
Momentum towards a US-Iran agreement accelerated overnight after President Donald Trump said he cancelled planned strikes on Iran and declared the war effectively over.
Tehran acknowledged progress in negotiations but stressed that no final agreement has yet been reached, while Israeli operations in Lebanon continued despite growing diplomatic efforts across the region.
Trump said he cancelled planned US strikes on Iran after being informed that negotiations had reached the highest levels of Iran’s leadership and were nearing completion.
The US president declared that the war with Iran had effectively ended and said a time and place for signing an agreement would be announced soon.
Iran’s foreign ministry said a draft understanding is nearly complete but stressed that no final agreement with Washington has been approved.
Trump said regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan, had endorsed the framework under discussion.
Iranian authorities reported intercepting an unauthorised oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz amid continuing maritime security concerns.
The Israeli military said it had taken operational control of the Saluki Valley area in southern Lebanon, signalling continued activity on the Lebanon front despite progress in US-Iran talks.
Israel said it is reviewing its Iran strategy while diplomatic efforts continue, with Netanyahu's office noting that Israel is not a party to the proposed memorandum of understanding.
Israeli attacks continued across southern Lebanon, pushing the death toll from the conflict since March to 3,711, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Two UN peacekeepers were wounded in an attack on a convoy in southern Lebanon, underscoring ongoing instability despite ceasefire efforts.
Financial markets reacted positively to signs of a breakthrough, with major US stock indexes advancing on expectations of a possible agreement.
