The World Awaits: A U.S.-Iran Deal Could End the Middle East’s Most Dangerous Crisis
Washington – U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” as Iran, the United States, and mediators in Pakistan all reported progress in the talks.
Trump said on social media that the emerging agreement would lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital maritime passage whose closure disrupted global energy markets after the conflict erupted in February, when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Trump did not specify what other provisions the agreement would include, but stated: “Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported early Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Trump’s claim that the agreement was nearly finalized was “inconsistent with reality.”
Earlier on Saturday, Iran announced that it was working on drafting a memorandum of understanding outlining a mechanism to end the war, following meetings between senior Iranian officials and Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir.
The Pakistani military said the negotiations had produced “encouraging” progress toward a final understanding. Two Pakistani sources involved in the talks also described the agreement under negotiation as “fairly comprehensive in ending the war.”
Sources told Reuters that the proposed framework would be implemented in three phases:
- Formally ending the war.
- Resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
- Launching a 30-day negotiation window for a broader agreement, with the possibility of extension.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump told Axios that he expected to decide on Sunday whether to resume attacks on Iran, adding: “Either we reach a good deal or I’ll blow them to a thousand hells,” according to the website.
One Pakistani source said there was no guarantee the United States would accept the memorandum of understanding, but if accepted, it would lead to further talks after the Eid al-Adha holiday ends on Friday.
Trump Speaks with Middle Eastern Leaders
Trump said on Friday that he would not attend his son’s wedding this week due to his focus on the Iran file and his intention to remain in Washington.
He added on his Truth Social platform that he held phone calls on Saturday with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan. Axios reported that those leaders encouraged Trump to accept the ongoing negotiation framework.
Pakistan has sought to narrow differences between Iran and the United States after weeks of war that led to the closure of most shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz despite a fragile ceasefire.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Trump’s conditions for ending the fighting, saying:
“Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The straits must remain open without tolls. They must also hand over their enriched uranium.”
Rubio, who is visiting India, said some progress had been achieved and that work was continuing.
He told reporters in New Delhi:
“Even as I speak to you now, there’s work being done. There’s a chance that later today, tomorrow, or within a couple of days, we may have something to announce.”
U.S. Vice President JD Vance returned to the White House on Saturday afternoon, cutting short his visit to Ohio.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and insists it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. Tehran has also demanded supervision over the strait, an end to the U.S. blockade on its ports, and the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said:
“The trend this week has been toward reducing disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We must wait and see where things will head over the next three or four days.”
Baghaei added that while the U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping remained an important issue, Iran’s priority was ending the threat of renewed U.S. attacks, in addition to stopping the ongoing fighting in Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters are clashing with Israeli forces in the south.
Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir left Tehran on Saturday after talks with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Ghalibaf said Iran would continue to pursue its “legitimate rights” both on the battlefield and through diplomacy, but added that Tehran could not trust “a party that has no honesty at all,” repeating accusations Iran has frequently directed at the United States.
He also said Iranian armed forces had rebuilt their capabilities during the ceasefire and warned that if the United States “foolishly resumes the war,” the consequences would be “more severe and bitter” than at the beginning of the conflict.
Despite weeks of war, Iran still retains its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, in addition to its missile capabilities, drones, and network of regional allies.
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