Donald Trump announced Saturday that negotiators have substantially completed a peace agreement with Iran, signaling a potential end to the bombing campaign that the US and Israel launched in February.
Trump posted on his social media platform that an accord has been "largely negotiated" between the United States, Iran, and other countries, though he acknowledged that "final aspects and details" of what he called a "Memorandum of Understanding" remain under discussion. He said these remaining points "will be announced shortly." The strait of Hormuz will be reopened under the terms of the deal, Trump stated.
The announcement followed calls Trump conducted with leaders across the region. He said he spoke with the heads of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, as well as Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He also held a separate conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which he described as productive.
The timing of Trump's statement came after a Pakistani source told Reuters that Iran and Pakistan had submitted a revised proposal aimed at ending the war and reopening the strait. The development suggested that recent diplomatic progress, mediated by Middle Eastern countries, had accelerated negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted repeatedly that significant news was imminent, even as Trump continued to threaten military action against Iran. Trump said he had met with American negotiators, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, along with Vice President JD Vance, to review the latest proposals.
Trump made clear his position in public comments to media outlets, saying he would only approve a deal "where we get everything we want." He warned that if negotiations failed, the US would resume strikes against Iran.
Details of what the agreement actually contains remain vague. According to reporting from Drop Site News late Friday, Iran's latest proposal to mediators included a provisional reopening of the strait of Hormuz. But Iran also sought an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports, the unfreezing of billions in assets held abroad, and compensation for war damages. The Iranian negotiator insisted that any framework must permanently end the war before discussions about Iran's nuclear program could begin.
Iran's chief negotiator told state television that the proposal being developed consists of "a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses." He stressed during a meeting with the Pakistani army chief that Iran would not compromise over what he called its national rights.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's claims of a 'largely negotiated' deal should be taken with caution until the fine print emerges, especially with him still rattling the saber about strikes."
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