US-Iran war: Ceasefire ends today, what was the deal and why did it fail
On Monday, the 60-day ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran is set to expire, with no resolution to the ongoing conflict in sight. The agreement was meant to address Iran's enriched uranium and provide a roadmap for resolving concerns over the country's nuclear program and missile arsenal. However, both sides have accused each other of violations over the past two months.
The 14-point framework, brokered by Pakistan and other Gulf nations, was signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and former US President Donald Trump on June 17. The deal called for a cessation of all military operations, a roadmap to address American and Israeli fears regarding Iran's nuclear program, and a resolution of Iran's missile arsenal, which is considered the most powerful in West Asia.
Just a week after the signing of the agreement, Iran fired upon ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz via the coast of Oman. This move was supposed to be under the protection of the US Navy, which aimed to circumvent Tehran's control of the strait. In response, the US carried out retaliatory attacks on Iranian facilities, leading to a cycle of escalating military strikes.
In July, President Trump declared the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) "over" due to disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and the deterioration of the ceasefire. The US President reiterated on Monday that the primary objective is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical sticking point in the negotiations, as it controls around 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies. Despite the interim agreement, no progress has been made in discussions regarding the reopening of the strait or the lifting of the US naval blockade. Furthermore, intelligence reports suggest that the US is running low on missiles, which complicates President Trump's ability to negotiate with Iranian officials and increases the likelihood of an extended conflict in the West Asia region.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
