Trump had resorted to all kinds of leverage out of desperation
In a moment weighted with decades of enmity and suspicion, the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iran on Thursday, giving formal shape to a nuclear agreement reached not in ceremony but through remote signatures. Iran's new Supreme Leader Khamenei offered a fractured blessing — approving a deal he openly disagreed with, while warning that engagement with Washington would never mean submission. The accord, built on fourteen provisions and a sixty-day clock, now asks two adversaries to trust a process neither has fully embraced.
- Iran's Supreme Leader broke his silence to approve the deal while simultaneously condemning Trump's negotiating tactics as desperate and coercive — a public endorsement laced with barely concealed resentment.
- The formal signing ceremony in Switzerland was quietly cancelled after the agreement had already been executed remotely, leaving Pakistani mediators to confirm the awkward reversal to the BBC.
- Israeli strikes in Beirut killed three people the same day the deal was announced, and Hezbollah rejected the accord outright, exposing how little the agreement has quieted the region's most active fault lines.
- Republican Senator Bill Cassidy called the deal 'the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,' while Vice President Vance rebuked Israeli hardliners and defended compliance-based sanctions relief — fracturing consensus on both sides of the Atlantic.
- Iran must now destroy its enriched uranium stockpiles and cut funding to proxy militias within sixty days, while the US holds $300 billion in reconstruction funds contingent on Iranian compliance — a high-stakes wager with no guarantee of trust.
The United States lifted its naval blockade of Iran on Thursday, formalizing a nuclear agreement that had been signed remotely rather than in any ceremonial setting. US Central Command announced the move on social media, noting that some American vessels would remain in the region for monitoring. The decision came as Iran's new Supreme Leader Khamenei broke his public silence — not to celebrate, but to register deep unease.
Khamenei said he had approved the deal only after receiving assurances from President Pezeshkian that Iranian interests would be protected, and only despite holding 'a different view' of its terms. He accused Trump of acting 'out of desperation' and using every available form of leverage, while cautioning that future talks with Washington would not mean acceptance of American demands. It was the approval of a man who felt he had little choice.
The agreement itself carries fourteen provisions. Iran must never develop nuclear weapons, must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and must destroy its enriched uranium stockpiles while ceasing support for regional proxy militias. The United States has pledged a $300 billion reconstruction fund, though American officials made clear the money would only flow if Iran met its obligations. Both sides have sixty days to negotiate a final accord, with technical talks expected in Switzerland.
The signing ceremony planned for Switzerland was cancelled after the deal had already been executed remotely — a quietly telling detail. Vice President Vance confirmed that American and Iranian representatives would still meet there for technical negotiations, though he was vague about timing, noting that Iran was 'not an easy country to get out of.'
The region did not pause to absorb the moment. Israeli and Hezbollah forces exchanged strikes after the announcement, with reported Israeli operations in Beirut killing three people on Thursday. Hezbollah rejected the deal entirely, and Israel maintained its conflict with the militant group was separate from the broader Iranian agreement. Trump posted on Truth Social that he expected ceasefires 'on all fronts,' but the violence continued regardless.
At home, the deal divided rather than unified. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy called it 'the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,' arguing Iran had learned that threatening global shipping was an effective bargaining chip. Vance pushed back, insisting Iran would receive nothing without compliance, and broke with Israeli hardliners who criticized the accord — telling reporters that a nation of nine million could not 'kill your way out of every national security problem.' Netanyahu urged the importance of American support without explicitly endorsing the terms.
The sixty-day window now opens. Whether Iran dismantles its program, whether funds begin to flow, and whether Khamenei's guarded approval holds within Iran's fractured leadership — all of it remains unresolved. The agreement exists. The trust required to sustain it does not yet.
The United States withdrew its naval blockade of Iran on Thursday, marking the formal implementation of a nuclear agreement signed remotely rather than in a ceremonial setting. US Central Command announced the decision on social media, noting that some American vessels would remain stationed nearby. The move came as Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who took office in March following his father's death in February strikes, broke his public silence to express deep skepticism about the arrangement.
Khamenei's statement revealed a fractured consensus within Iran's leadership. He said he had approved the deal despite holding "a different view" of its terms, and only after receiving assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian that Iranian interests would be protected. The supreme leader then delivered a pointed critique of the American negotiator, saying Trump had resorted to "all kinds of leverage" and acted "out of desperation" to reach an agreement. Yet Khamenei also signaled that future in-person talks between Tehran and Washington would proceed, while cautioning that such negotiations "will not mean acceptance of the enemy's position."
The agreement itself centers on fourteen core provisions. Iran must never develop nuclear weapons. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping chokepoint that Iran had threatened to close, must reopen. The United States has committed to a $300 billion reconstruction and development fund for Iran, though American officials stressed the money would only flow if Iran met its obligations. Both sides have sixty days to negotiate a final accord, extendable by mutual consent. The deal requires Iran to destroy its stockpile of enriched uranium and cease funding regional proxy militias.
The signing process itself proved unusual. A formal ceremony scheduled for Switzerland on Friday was cancelled because the agreement had already been executed remotely. Pakistani mediators confirmed the cancellation to the BBC. American and Iranian representatives are still expected to meet in Switzerland for what Vice President JD Vance called "technical negotiations," though Vance declined to specify when he would travel, remarking that Iran was "not an easy country to get out of."
Trump did not directly address Khamenei's criticism but posted on Truth Social that he expected ceasefires to take hold "on all fronts," including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He called on Middle Eastern nations to respect the negotiation process. Yet the region remained volatile. Israeli and Hezbollah forces exchanged strikes after the agreement's announcement, with reported Israeli operations in Beirut killing three people on Thursday alone. Hezbollah rejected the Iran-US deal outright, and Israel maintained that its conflict with the militant group was separate from the broader Iranian war.
The agreement has fractured American political consensus. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy called it "the worst foreign policy blunder in decades," arguing that Iran's nuclear ambitions remained unchecked and that Tehran had learned threatening the Strait of Hormuz was an effective negotiating tactic. Vance defended the accord, emphasizing that Iran would receive neither funds nor sanctions relief without compliance. He also rebuked Israeli cabinet members Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for criticizing the deal, telling reporters that Israel, a nation of nine million people, could not "kill your way out of solving every single national security problem." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed the importance of maintaining American support, though he did not explicitly endorse the agreement.
The next sixty days will test whether the deal holds. Iran must demonstrate it is dismantling its uranium enrichment program and abandoning support for proxy forces. The United States must begin releasing reconstruction funds. Meanwhile, Israeli-Hezbollah violence continues, and Khamenei's guarded approval suggests deep reservations within Iran's power structure about the terms Trump negotiated. The agreement exists, but the trust required to sustain it remains fragile.
Citações Notáveis
Iran's nuclear ambitions were not curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works— Republican Senator Bill Cassidy
You're a country of nine million people. You can't just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have— Vice President JD Vance, addressing Israeli cabinet critics of the deal
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why did Khamenei approve something he disagreed with?
Because his president convinced him the alternative was worse. Pezeshkian apparently made a case that this deal protected Iran's core interests better than continued war. Khamenei's approval came with conditions—he wanted it on record that he had reservations.
What does "out of desperation" actually mean in this context?
Khamenei was signaling that Trump had no other options, that the American position was weakening. It's a way of claiming victory while accepting the deal—saying the other side folded, not that Iran compromised.
The reconstruction fund is $300 billion but the US doesn't have to pay it?
Right. The fund exists as a commitment, but the actual money comes from unfreezing Iranian assets and lifting sanctions. The US is essentially saying: we'll let you access your own money and rejoin the global economy. It's leverage disguised as generosity.
Why does Vance keep saying Iran is "not an easy country to get out of"?
He's being coy about the security situation. He means leaving the region safely, getting diplomats in and out without incident. It's a reminder that even with a deal signed, the ground is still dangerous.
How serious is the Israeli-Hezbollah violence happening right now?
Serious enough that three people died in Beirut the same day the deal was announced. It suggests the ceasefire Trump promised isn't actually holding on the ground. The agreement exists on paper, but the shooting hasn't stopped.
What happens if Iran doesn't destroy its uranium in sixty days?
The deal collapses and you're back to where you started—except now both sides have shown they can negotiate. That's actually why the sixty-day window matters. It's not a deadline so much as a test of whether either side is serious.