Leaders of the Group of Seven nations gathered at the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains in France on Monday for a three-day summit overshadowed by two active wars, with a preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran to end their conflict arriving just hours before the meeting began.
US President Donald Trump arrived in Evian-les-Bains on Monday after announcing a preliminary deal with Iran on Sunday that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which approximately 20 per cent of the world's oil supply passes, effectively closed by Iran since the conflict began in late February. Trump said he had ordered an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, with the Strait expected to reopen on Friday.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed that military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, would end permanently from Monday night. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said a more comprehensive agreement, covering sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets, would be negotiated during a 60-day ceasefire window. A formal memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be signed in Switzerland on Friday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the G7 discussions would focus on ensuring the long-term reopening of the Strait and building on the diplomatic opportunity created by the agreement. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the deal a "critical step" and urged both sides to use the momentum toward a final resolution.
The Iran deal is one of several issues the summit will address over three days. G7 leaders are also expected to discuss the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet leaders on Tuesday, though no one-on-one meeting with Trump is currently confirmed. Other agenda items include reducing dependence on China for critical minerals, tackling global economic imbalances, and artificial intelligence governance. Brazil, India, Kenya, and South Korea have been invited as guest participants.
Trump's presence at the summit was not taken for granted, he departed last year's G7 in Canada early, and French officials had worked to secure his attendance this time. Global leaders are increasingly wary of the United States, with many G7 members having been directly affected by Trump's moves on trade and diplomacy over the past year. Relief over the Iran deal was tempered by unease over new US tariff threats directed at France and Trump's continued hardline stance on immigration. The summit runs through June 17.
With inputs from Reuters