How did the world react to the news of the US-Iran agreement?
Immediately after the US and Iran announced a peace agreement to end more than three months of conflict in the Middle East, the international community unanimously welcomed the move. Global energy markets reacted positively, while European powers signaled their willingness to ease sanctions against Tehran.
In a statement issued by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on June 14 (local time), UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the US-Iran peace agreement. He called the commitment to a permanent ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz a "key step" toward a definitive resolution of the conflict in the Middle East.
"The Secretary-General hopes that the parties will seize this new momentum and redouble their efforts to achieve a final solution to the conflict," the statement emphasized.
Positive signals from the negotiations immediately "unleashed" the global energy market. In morning trading on June 15th in Tokyo, oil prices plummeted by more than 4%. Specifically, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil fell 4.39% to $81.15 per barrel after Pakistan confirmed that the US and Iran had agreed to end military operations on all fronts.
From across the Atlantic, America's European allies also responded strongly. In a joint statement, the group of four countries—Britain, France, Germany, and Italy—welcomed the agreement and left open the possibility of lifting economic pressure on Tehran.
"We are prepared to lift the relevant sanctions in response to Iran's clear, verifiable steps toward its nuclear program," the joint statement said.
European powers also pledged to work closely with the US, Iran, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to achieve a long-term diplomatic solution, with the core principle being that "Iran must never possess nuclear weapons."
The Middle East issue also quickly became a central focus at the G7 Summit. Posting on Instagram, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that G7 leaders would dedicate the working day of June 15th to discussing the implications of the agreement. The focus would be on a plan for the long-term opening of the Strait of Hormuz, measures to support Lebanon, and finalizing a treaty on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activities.
Despite reaching a consensus in principle, both Washington and Tehran are working to send messages that assert their positions after the war.
On the social media platform Truth Social, US President Donald Trump asserted, "This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the entire region." However, the White House also clarified that the strategic Hormuz waterway would only be opened after the official agreement is signed on June 19th – a move that observers consider a slight adjustment to his earlier statement of "immediate opening."
On the Iranian side, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi appeared on television in the early hours of June 15 to declare his country's position. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran had "achieved great victories," and asserted that the opposing side "had failed in all its objectives" in instigating the conflict.
