French Economy Minister Roland Lescure said that Donald Trump accepted the agreement between the US and Iran at the Palace of Versailles in France, calling it a "historic development."
Lescure also explained the details of the signing process. According to him, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ensured the text was printed on French paper using a French press; Trump signed the agreement in both English and French.
The temporary agreement is said to aim at ending the US-Iran war and offers a 60-day framework for a broader reconciliation. It was noted that the agreement immediately halted conflicts and reopened the Strait of Hormuz to ship traffic.
Lescure made these remarks during the fourth Vision Golfe event held in Paris, at the French-Gulf Business Forum. The minister once again described the development as "historic."
Speaking the day after the signing, former Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans Jean-Yves Le Drian said peace cannot be achieved through military means. Le Drian emphasized that the first article securing Lebanon’s sovereignty marked a significant turning point.
According to Le Drian, the 14-article agreement includes a comprehensive ceasefire on various fronts including Lebanon, easing sanctions on Iran, lifting the freeze on Iranian assets, and establishing a $300 billion reconstruction fund.
Le Drian also stated that Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused major disruptions, affecting about a quarter of global shipping. Before the conflict began on February 28, more than 100 ships passed daily through the strait, but in recent days only a few ships have been able to proceed.
"If this situation recurs, we need alternative routes to Hormuz to respond faster and more effectively," Le Drian said, adding that despite bombardments and high-level losses, the Iranian regime remains standing though weakened.
Le Drian also stressed that the Palestinian issue must not be forgotten, warning it could lead to further conflicts. The health ministry reported that the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 73,000 due to repeated violations of the ceasefire that began in October. An Oxfam analysis noted that the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank over the past three years has surpassed the total of the previous 17 years.
