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US-Iran ceasefire and nuclear talks in 2026

On 28 February 2026, Israel and the United States launched air strikes against Iran. They said they aimed to induce regime change in the country and target its nuclear and ballistic missile programme. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in the strikes. Iran responded by attacking US bases in the region, Israel, and sites in neighbouring Middle Eastern states, as well as closing the Strait of Hormuz. From Lebanon, Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel, which in turn launched ground operations in Lebanon.

Attacks continued across the Middle East region until 8 April, when Pakistan announced that the US and Iran had agreed a two-week pause. Israel–Hezbollah fighting continued into June and intermittent conflict between the US, Israel and Iran has also occurred. On 17 June, the US and Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU sets out plans for talks in an initial 60-day period on issues including freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, and sanctions.

The Israeli/US attacks on Iran follow the failure of Oman-mediated talks in February 2026, as well as US/Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in 2025.

This briefing describes negotiations in 2026, the issues under discussion, and what the involved countries would like from the talks. For information on the wider conflict in 2026, see the Commons Library collection Iran in 2026.

What’s in the memorandum of understanding?

No official text of the 14-point memorandum of understanding signed in June 2026 has been published, but the text briefed to journalists and the text released by Iran are similar.

Paragraph 1 states that there will be a “permanent termination of military operations on all fronts”, including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon (neither they, nor the Lebanese Government, are party to the memorandum or the talks; separate talks are being held on the Israel–Hezbollah conflict). The texts also says that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon (paragraph 8).

The memorandum sets out a three-stage process. The first stage stipulates five measures that signatories must start implementing before wider talks can occur:

• the US must lift its blockade of Iranian ports (paragraph 4)
• Iran must arrange for the safe passage of ships through Hormuz (paragraph 5)
• the US must lift sanctions on Iranian oil exports (paragraph 10)
• the US and Iran must discuss the possibility of the US lifting restrictions on Iranian assets frozen abroad (paragraph 11)

As their implementation begins, the memorandum says wider discussions towards a final deal will be undertaken. Other elements to be finalised include a US$300 billion reconstruction plan for Iran (paragraph 6), the process for lifting sanctions on Iran (paragraph 7), and the inspection of Iran’s nuclear programme and disposing enriched material (paragraph 8).

The memorandum envisages a 60-day period (extendable by mutual consent) to discuss these issues (paragraph 3). The final agreement will be endorsed by the UN Security Council (as was the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran; paragraph 14). In 2026, the UK, Germany and France have said they are willing to lift certain sanctions against Iran under a new nuclear agreement.

US: Priorities and statements in 2026 talks

At the start of the strikes in February 2026, President Trump said that the US had launched the attacks to “annihilate” the Iranian navy, destroy Iran’s missile sites and programme, and that he would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. He also called on Iranians “to take over your government” and said “there will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender”.

In the April 2026 talks, the US said its “core goal” was Iran confirming that it would never seek a nuclear weapon. In 2025 and 2026, it has also said that Iran must conduct “zero enrichment”. The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, toll-free, (as had been case before February 2026) is also a stated US priority. In June, the president says that recovering Iran’s enriched uranium is less urgent than reopening the strait, and that Iran should be allowed to maintain ballistic missiles in “relative proportion” to neighbouring Gulf states. The president has said that there will be no US state investment in Iran and that released funds will be restricted to purchasing US food and medicine.

Iran: Priorities and statements in 2026 talks

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, says he has a “different view” to that of Iran’s elected President, Mahmoud Pezeshkian, on the June memorandum. However, he said that President Pezeshkian had given him assurances that “the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front” (Iran-backed terrorist and armed groups like Hezbollah) would be protected in talks, and so agreed to Iran’s signing of the text.

In June, Iran has said a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is a precondition for wider talks, and reiterated that some issues, such as its ballistic missile programme, are not for negotiation. President Pezeshkian had said in March that Iran had three conditions for ending the conflict: 1) “firm guarantees against future aggression”, 2) the recognition of “Iran’s legitimate rights” and 3) the payment of reparations to Iran.

Iran has also said that it wants to establish a new regime to govern the Strait of Hormuz, and one of its negotiators said in June that access to the strait will include charges. Oman, which has managed the strait with Iran, opposes any tolls, which the US says would be unacceptable to include in any deal.

What have others said about the 2026 talks?

There have been a wide range of responses to the 2026 talks.

Israel

Although Israel participated in the strikes against Iran alongside the US from 28 February 2026, it is not directly participating in the Pakistan-mediated talks. Following a conversation with President Trump, on 11 June 2026 the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the president had told him the final agreement would have four elements, including removing enriched material and limits on Iranian missiles.

Several members of the ruling government in Israel and Israeli opposition leaders were critical of the memorandum. The Israeli Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, said that “Trump’s agreement does not bind us”.

The UK Government

The UK Government welcomed the April 2026 talks and June 2026 agreement. Together with other European states, it has said that the memorandum should be implemented quickly, and that it is prepared to deploy a defensive mission to Hormuz to secure freedom of navigation, once the conflict ends. The government has also said it is willing to support “relevant” sanctions relief on Iran if an agreement on curtailing its nuclear programme is reached.

Arab Gulf states

In a joint statement issued after the memorandum was signed in June 2026, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) said that “lasting regional peace” requires “addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s threats”. They said these include Iran’s ballistic missile programme, drones and support for armed groups overseas. The GCC also called for “free” access through Hormuz.