The agreement, signed on June 14 and scheduled for an official ceremony in Switzerland on June 19, includes provisions for an “immediate and permanent” end to military operations and outlines commitments by Iran to pause nuclear enrichment activity in exchange for sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds, though several terms remain subject to final negotiations.

Iran has sought broad economic relief as part of the arrangement, including the lifting of sanctions and access to frozen assets, while Iranian state media has cited a draft proposal that reportedly includes the release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian funds during the negotiating period, though this has not been confirmed by either side.

A central obstacle lies in the United Nations Security Council’s “snapback” mechanism under Resolution 2231, which allowed for the reimposition of previously lifted sanctions on Iran following a notification of non-compliance by France, Germany and Britain in August 2025, resulting in sanctions being restored in September 2025.

Those measures include restrictions on Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, asset freezes, travel bans and limits on Iranian banks’ access to the global financial system, and remain in force despite the US-Iran agreement, which does not affect UN-level restrictions.

The legal framework governing the sanctions means that while the United States can adjust its own unilateral measures, any reversal of UN sanctions requires consensus among Security Council members, a process complicated by deep divisions over the legality of the snapback mechanism.

China and Russia have challenged the legitimacy of the reimposed sanctions, arguing that earlier UN resolutions had expired, while Western states including the US, France and Britain maintain that the mechanism was properly triggered and therefore binding.

Analysts say this divergence has created an uneven enforcement environment in which some states continue limited trade with Iran while others adhere to restrictions, limiting the effectiveness of both sanctions and potential relief.

Daniel Forti of the International Crisis Group said lifting UN sanctions would require full Security Council agreement, noting that the sanctions cover multiple regimes targeting Iran’s nuclear programme, missile development, financial networks and related assets.

Iranian officials have indicated they will seek a new Security Council resolution to endorse any final agreement, a move that analysts say could provide legal clarity and international legitimacy but would require unanimous approval among permanent members of the Council.

The outcome of the ongoing negotiations will therefore depend not only on bilateral US-Iran terms but also on whether the Security Council can bridge its divisions over the snapback sanctions framework, which remains a central point of contention in the implementation of any broader settlement.

“What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING!” Trump wrote, adding that Tehran “better get their act together, and FAST!”

The comments followed Trump’s statement on Thursday that he was calling off new strikes on Iran because a deal had been reached, marking a shift in tone amid conflicting accounts of the agreement’s status.

On Friday, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that the draft under discussion would include the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil exports and the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets, alongside a cessation of hostilities across multiple fronts, including in Lebanon. The source did not specify what Tehran would offer in return.

The reported framework also suggests that nuclear issues would be deferred to later negotiations, even as Washington has repeatedly said it seeks to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has consistently denied pursuing such a capability.

Iranian state media said the draft would not require Tehran to relinquish control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route. The Islamic Republic has maintained increased control over traffic through the waterway since the outbreak of conflict with the United States and Israel earlier this year, allowing only limited passage and requiring vessels to seek approval from its armed forces.

Iran has framed the outlined terms as preserving its authority over the strait, while emphasizing that final details of the agreement remain under discussion. Meanwhile, Trump’s remarks underscored continuing uncertainty over whether both sides share a common interpretation of the proposed deal’s scope and obligations.

Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said the meeting took place in the Kremlin in a tête-à-tête format but declined to provide details of the discussion.

Schroeder, who served as Germany’s chancellor from 1998 to 2005, has maintained close ties with Putin and later worked for Russian state energy companies, drawing criticism in Germany and across Europe.

The meeting comes weeks after Putin suggested Schroeder could serve as a partner in discussions on future European security arrangements. The proposal was swiftly rejected by European Union officials, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas arguing that Schroeder could not act as a neutral intermediary.

Ushakov also said Russia maintains numerous informal international contacts and disclosed that a future visit to Moscow by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner is being prepared, although no dates have been finalized.

The developments occur amid continuing diplomatic efforts related to the conflict in Ukraine and broader tensions between Russia and the West.

China and North Korea announced on Friday that Xi will make a state visit from Monday to Tuesday, where he is expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The visit comes as North Korea deepens military and political cooperation with Russia and a day after Pyongyang unveiled a new facility that South Korea’s military assessed as a uranium enrichment plant.Analysts say Beijing is seeking to reinforce its influence in North Korea as Kim expands ties with Moscow while continuing to advance his nuclear weapons program.

Xi and Kim last met in Beijing in September, where they pledged closer cooperation. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and key economic supporter despite international sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile activities.

The trip will be Xi’s first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years and highlights the strategic importance both countries place on maintaining close ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

The dispute erupted after Teodoro told Reuters in an interview on Saturday that China remained a “severe threat” and had shown no evidence of long-term good faith, even after Beijing supplied fertilizer and fuel to the Philippines during shortages linked to regional conflict-related disruptions.

Responding to the remarks, China’s Foreign Ministry accused the Philippine defense chief of politicizing issues affecting ordinary citizens and disregarding the benefits of Chinese assistance.

Speaking at a regular briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Teodoro’s comments demonstrated that he was “solely driven by personal interests” and had failed to consider the welfare of the Philippine people.

Mao questioned how China could be expected to continue providing aid and essential supplies to the Philippines if such views prevailed among senior officials in Manila.

The exchange underscores the fragile state of relations between Beijing and Manila, which have been strained by longstanding maritime disputes, security concerns and competing strategic interests in the region.

Teodoro’s remarks reflected continued skepticism within the Philippine security establishment regarding China’s intentions, despite recent efforts by Beijing to project a more cooperative image through economic and humanitarian assistance.

China’s response signals growing frustration over what it views as Manila’s unwillingness to separate practical cooperation from broader geopolitical and security disagreements.

Neither side indicated any immediate plans for high-level talks following the latest diplomatic exchange.

Munir, who has emerged as Pakistan’s principal intermediary in contacts between Washington and Tehran, arrived in China after a visit to Iran on Friday and Saturday alongside Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The trip formed part of ongoing regional consultations following recent efforts to advance negotiations between the two adversaries.

Sharif is on a four-day official visit to China that began on Saturday in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province. Meetings in Beijing brought together Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership with senior Chinese officials at a time of heightened diplomatic activity across the region.

Addressing Chinese leaders alongside Munir, Sharif said the international community was facing a critical period and highlighted Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran. Pakistan state television showed Sharif thanking China for supporting initiatives aimed at promoting regional peace and stability.

China has publicly backed Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement, saying it is prepared to work with Islamabad to contribute to the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.

While Pakistan has taken a visible role in mediation efforts, Beijing has largely operated behind the scenes through consultations and contacts with regional governments.
Pakistan elevated its diplomatic profile last month by hosting direct talks between US and Iranian officials, the first face-to-face negotiations between the two sides since the outbreak of the Iran conflict.

The discussions were viewed as a significant breakthrough in communication channels but ended without a lasting agreement.

Munir played a prominent role during those negotiations, receiving delegations upon arrival and participating in high-level engagements surrounding the talks. Despite the diplomatic opening, negotiations stalled after Iranian officials accused the United States of presenting demands they considered unacceptable.

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The presence of both Sharif and Munir in Beijing underscores the growing coordination between Pakistan and China on regional security issues and highlights Islamabad’s effort to maintain momentum in diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking to reporters via Zoom, Sybiha said discussions conducted under the current format were increasingly yielding diminishing returns, with negotiators repeatedly revisiting the same issues without achieving significant breakthroughs.

“My impression is that this format is gradually reaching the point where discussions possible at this level are becoming exhausted,” Sybiha said. “At times, the same issues end up being discussed several times over.”
His remarks underscore mounting concerns in Kyiv over the pace and effectiveness of diplomatic engagement despite months of US-backed efforts to facilitate dialogue between the two sides.

Sybiha said broader European participation could inject fresh momentum into the negotiations and help overcome obstacles that have stalled progress. He described increased European engagement as one of the key avenues for reinvigorating the peace process.

The foreign minister also reiterated Ukraine’s preference for negotiations at the highest political level, saying a direct meeting involving national leaders remains another potential path forward.

Kyiv has repeatedly advocated leader-level talks as a means of breaking deadlocks that have persisted in lower-level discussions.

The comments come as diplomatic efforts to end Europe’s largest conflict in decades continue to face significant challenges, with both sides maintaining divergent positions on core security and territorial issues.

While the United States has played a central role in facilitating contacts between Kyiv and Moscow, Sybiha’s remarks suggest Ukrainian officials increasingly believe a broader diplomatic framework may be required to generate meaningful progress.

Speaking at a congressional hearing, Cao said foreign military sales to Taiwan had been put on hold while the Pentagon assessed weapons inventories needed for Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign targeting Iran. He said the United States had sufficient stocks but was taking steps to ensure military requirements were fully met before resuming transfers.

“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury,” Cao said, adding that foreign military sales would continue once the administration determined it was appropriate.

The remarks mark the clearest public indication yet that the Iran conflict has affected the timing of U.S. weapons deliveries to Taiwan, which has sought to strengthen its defenses amid rising military pressure from China.

The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon did not immediately comment on Cao’s statement.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office pushed back against suggestions that approved sales were being altered. Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said on Friday that Taipei had received no indication Washington intended to revise the arms package.

The reported delay centers on approximately $14 billion in weapons purchases sought by Taiwan, though U.S. officials have not detailed which systems could be affected by the pause.

The development comes as questions persist over President Donald Trump’s approach to Taiwan. While the United States formally recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei, U.S. law requires Washington to provide the self-governed island with defensive weapons.

China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory, has repeatedly opposed U.S. arms sales to the island. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday that Beijing’s opposition to such sales remained “consistent, clear and firm.”

Trump also signaled a potential shift in approach ahead of a recent visit to China, saying he would discuss Taiwan arms sales with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Previous U.S. administrations had maintained that decisions on arms transfers to Taiwan were a matter between Washington and Taipei and not subject to consultation with Beijing.

Following the trip, Trump said he had made no commitments to Xi regarding Taiwan and would decide on the proposed sales within a relatively short period.
The pause underscores the competing demands facing U.S. defense planners as Washington balances support for partners in the Indo-Pacific with military commitments stemming from the Iran conflict.

The charges announced by U.S. authorities on Wednesday intensified tensions between Washington and Havana and prompted criticism from Beijing, which reaffirmed support for Cuba’s sovereignty and opposition to foreign interference.

“The U.S. side should stop brandishing the sanctions stick and the judicial stick against Cuba and stop threatening force at every turn,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing in Beijing.

“China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and national dignity and opposes external interference,” Guo said.

The indictment against Castro, 94, includes charges of conspiracy to kill Americans and destruction of aircraft linked to the 1996 shooting down of two planes operated by anti-Castro activists, an incident that killed four people.

Castro, the younger brother of late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, led Cuba from 2008 until 2018 after decades as one of the country’s most powerful political figures.

U.S. President Donald Trump described the indictment as a “very big moment” on Wednesday but downplayed suggestions of immediate action against the Cuban government.

The development comes as Cuba faces a prolonged economic crisis marked by fuel shortages, inflation and declining foreign currency reserves, conditions Havana has blamed in part on longstanding U.S. sanctions and restrictions.

China has maintained close political and economic ties with Cuba and has consistently criticized Washington’s sanctions policy toward the island nation.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he intended to speak with Lai as his administration considers potential arms sales to Taiwan, the self-governed island claimed by China.

A direct conversation between sitting presidents of the United States and Taiwan would be unprecedented since Washington formally switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 under the “One China” policy framework.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Lai remained committed to maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait and described China as “the disruptor of peace and stability.”

Lai would be “happy to discuss these matters with President Trump,” the ministry said in a statement.
“I’ll speak to him. I speak to everybody,” Trump said, adding that he had held productive discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing last week.

“We’ll work on that, the Taiwan problem,” Trump said.
The remarks came after Trump suggested that future U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could become part of broader negotiations with Beijing, raising concerns in Taipei over Washington’s long-term security commitments.

Taiwan’s government has since sought to reassure domestic and international audiences that U.S. policy toward the island remains unchanged and that Trump made no commitments to China regarding military support for Taipei.

Taiwan relies heavily on U.S. security backing to deter potential military action from China, which considers the island part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to bring it under Beijing’s control, by force if necessary.

Taipei has also faced sustained pressure from Washington to increase defense spending and expand investment in American industries as part of closer economic and strategic coordination.

Trump previously disrupted diplomatic convention in 2016 when, as president-elect, he accepted a phone call from then Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen, drawing sharp criticism from Beijing and surprising foreign policy officials in both Washington and Asia.