President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a peace agreement with Iran "has been largely negotiated," following conversations with Pakistani mediators, Gulf allies, and Israeli leadership. Trump stated on his social media platform that "final aspects and details" of a "memorandum of understanding" were still under discussion but would be announced shortly. He confirmed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would be part of the agreement.
"An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries," Trump posted.
However, Iran's response created immediate uncertainty. Iran's Fars news agency, which has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, disputed Trump's characterization. The agency stated that "the management of the Strait, determining the route, time, method of passage, and issuing permits will continue to be the monopoly and discretion of the Islamic Republic of Iran." It also said Trump's assertion that an agreement was nearly final was "inconsistent with reality."
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later praised Trump's peace efforts and indicated that Pakistan hoped to host another round of talks between the US and Iran soon. Sharif described Trump's calls with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, Jordan, and Pakistan as "very useful and productive." Pakistan's army chief, Syed Asim Munir, has played a key role in the negotiations, meeting recently with Iranian officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian.
According to reports, Iran and Pakistan submitted a revised proposal to the United States. The draft agreement reportedly includes provisions for the strait to reopen with no tolls during a 60-day ceasefire extension, with Iran permitted to freely sell oil and negotiations on its nuclear program. In exchange, the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports. Regional sources indicated the deal would include an official declaration ending the war, two months of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, and potential release of approximately 25 billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets.
Trump said he had spoken with leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, as well as Pakistan's army chief and Turkey's president. He also mentioned calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The announcement came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted during a visit to India that news might arrive soon. However, Trump's earlier comments had suggested a deal could be signed this weekend, creating confusion when Iranian officials contradicted those claims.
The potential agreement has faced criticism from Republican hawks, with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denouncing the rumored terms as too favorable to Iran.