Trump posted the announcement after separate calls with the leaders of Muslim-majority nations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [GETTY]
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal has been “largely negotiated” with Iran and will open the Strait of Hormuz, with details to be unveiled soon.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Trump Social.
Among the Middle East countries whose leaders joined a call on Saturday to discuss the deal were Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, Trump said.
Trump posted the announcement after separate calls with the leaders of Muslim-majority nations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well.”
“An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalisation between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries,” Trump wrote, referring to multiple Middle East nations.
“In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”
His optimistic post came after Iranian officials said gaps remained between the parties, and that the dispute over its nuclear program would not be part of the initial talks. Tehran said it was finalising a 14-point framework for a deal.
Iran said gaps remain between the parties, and the dispute over its nuclear programme would not be part of the initial talks, but that it was finalising a 14-point framework for a deal.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei noted what he called “a trend towards rapprochement”, but said, “it does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on the important issues”.
“Our intention was first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses,” he said on state television.
Baqaei added that he hoped the details of a final agreement could be worked out “within a reasonable timeframe between 30 to 60 days” after the framework is finalised.
Iran is focusing the negotiations on ending the war “on all fronts, including Lebanon”.
This comes as senior US and Iranian officials said on Saturday they could be close to a breakthrough in talks to strike a draft deal, while remaining cautious about the chances of ending tensions in the Middle East.
Trump told CBS in a phone interview the two sides were “getting a lot closer” to a deal, but also warned that if they do not reach an agreement, “we’re going to have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they’re about to be hit”.
In a sign of the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the talks, Trump also told another US outlet, Axios, on Saturday, the chances of a deal were a “solid 50/50”.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday he hoped his country could soon host the next round of peace talks between Iran and the United States.
“Pakistan will continue its peace efforts with utmost sincerity and we hope to host the next round of talks very soon,” Sharif, whose country has played a key role in mediating between Washington and Tehran, posted on X.
