Full Breakdown
Trump Claims Deal as U.S. Strikes on Iran Halt Amid Ongoing Hostilities
6/13/2026, 11:58:06 AM
Core Event: Cancellation of Planned U.S. Strikes and Claim of Imminent Settlement
On June 11 2026 President Donald Trump announced that the United States had cancelled a third consecutive night of planned airstrikes against Iran, stating that “we just made a great settlement of the war with Iran.” He added that the “final points” of a memorandum of understanding were approved by all parties and that the agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Iranian forces continued to launch drone and missile attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, and declared the Strait of Hormuz closed.
Background & Context: War’s Evolution Since February 2025 and Ceasefire Fragility
The conflict began on 28 February 2025 with coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, followed by Iranian retaliation against Israel and U.S.-allied Gulf states. A ceasefire was brokered in April 2025, but intermittent exchanges of fire persisted, including the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter on 8 June 2026 that triggered a new round of strikes.
Timeline of Recent Escalations (June 8–11, 2026)
- June 8: Iranian drone downed a U.S. Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
- June 9: U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire.
- June 10: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) struck Iranian air defenses, radar sites, and drone command units in southern Iran; oil prices fell 3.9 % to $86.51 /barrel (WTI) and 4.2 % to $89.15 /barrel (Brent).
- June 11: Iran launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan; the Iranian regime announced the Strait of Hormuz closed; Trump announced cancellation of further strikes and claimed a deal was imminent.
Key Figures & Groups
- Donald Trump – U.S. President, announced strike cancellation and settlement.
- Esmail Baghaei – Spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, described the alleged agreement as “speculative” and “nothing has been finalised.”
- Mohsen Rezaei – Supreme Leader’s military adviser, warned the U.S. must choose between accepting Iran’s terms or losing credibility.
- JD Vance – U.S. Vice President, expressed confidence in a diplomatic resolution.
- Richard Weitz – NATO Defense College analyst, interpreted Trump’s threats as a “force-to-force diplomatic breakthrough.”
- U.S. Central Command – Executed the June 10 strikes.
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – Coordinated Iranian retaliatory strikes.
Data & Statistics
- Oil futures fell 3.9 % to $86.51 /barrel (WTI) and 4.2 % to $89.15 /barrel (Brent) after the June 10 strikes.
- U.S. consumer-price index rose 4.2 % YoY in May 2026, the highest since 2023, driven largely by energy costs.
- The Iranian rial depreciated to roughly 1.8 million rials per U.S. dollar, down from 41 600 rials a decade earlier.
- CENTCOM reported strikes on nine vessels, including three in the week of June 10.
Why It Matters: Global Markets, Regional Security, Domestic Politics
The suspension of U.S. strikes temporarily eased oil-price volatility but left the Strait of Hormuz partially closed, sustaining upward pressure on global energy costs and contributing to elevated U.S. inflation. The episode also intensified debate in Washington, with Senate Republicans split over a war-powers resolution and Democrats pressing for congressional oversight of the conflict.
Official Statements & Responses
- Trump asserted that the United States “has a deal that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon” and that the settlement would be signed in Europe.
- Baghaei told state TV that negotiations remain ongoing and no final decision has been made.
- JD Vance said the United States “can reach a deal” and urged restraint.
- CENTCOM described the June 10 strikes as a response to “unwarranted and continued aggression” by Iran.
Criticism & Opposition
Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) advanced a war-powers resolution to force a congressional vote on continued U.S. involvement. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) warned that any agreement with Iran would be unreliable and called for resumption of strikes. Analyst Richard Weitz cautioned that escalating threats risk entrenching a “escalation trap.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
U.S. officials claim a near-finalized memorandum, while Iranian officials label the reports “speculative” and note that key issues—sanctions relief, the status of the Strait of Hormuz, and nuclear-program constraints—remain unresolved. No public text of the agreement has been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said told state TV that reports of an agreement were "speculative" and "nothing has been finalised".” — Esmail Baghaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson
- “ Richard Weitz, an international security expert at the NATO Defense College, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s threats to intensify the conflict may have been aimed at forcing a diplomatic breakthrough.” — Richard Weitz, NATO Defense College
- “We think we can have a narrow win,” — Tim Kaine, Democratic Senator (sponsor of war-powers resolution)
- “I want President Trump to finish the job. I’m very dubious about any agreement that you’d get with this radical regime because they won’t abide by it, and we can’t leave them with leverage on the Strait of Hormuz, nor with all this enriched uranium that they can restart to build the bomb,” — John Cornyn, Republican Senator
What’s Next: Negotiations, Potential Signing, and Congressional Action
U.S. and Iranian negotiators plan to meet in Europe within days to finalize the memorandum, while the U.S. Senate prepares a vote on the war-powers resolution. Both sides have signaled willingness to avoid full-scale war, but the lack of a publicly disclosed text leaves the prospect of a durable settlement uncertain.
