Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared Friday that a potential agreement with the United States to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and begin nuclear negotiations has reached its most advanced stage yet. His announcement on social media marked the strongest signal from Tehran in days that a deal could be finalized imminently.
A senior U.S. official told reporters the same day that negotiators remain close to the finish line, estimating the probability of success at 80 to 85 percent. The official said the administration expects to sign the agreement within days, though emphasized the process is not yet final.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has served as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran, posted that an agreed text for the peace deal has already been reached. Pakistan is now coordinating with both sides on implementation steps.
President Trump responded positively to Araghchi's statements, calling them "very positive" in a brief call with reporters. Trump said he still believes a deal could be signed by the weekend or early next week.
The push toward closure comes after a day of tension over differing narratives about the agreement's contents. Trump lashed out over reports in Iranian state media claiming Iran would receive billions in frozen assets immediately upon signing. He demanded public clarification and said Iran had privately apologized for the misinformation, though details of how such a message was conveyed remain unclear.
In his statement, Araghchi urged the media to stop speculating about the deal's specifics, referring to it as the "Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding." He said full details would be shared publicly once finalization is complete.
Trump had posted sharply on his social network that the terms leaked by Iran "have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing," calling the Iranian side "very dishonorable people to deal with" and demanding they "get their act together, and FAST."
Sharif countered that actors trying to sabotage the peace deal were spreading misinformation, but stressed that peace has "never been this close as it is now."
Inside Iran's complex government structure, final consultations are underway, though most substantive issues have reportedly been resolved. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said internal deliberations are in their closing phase.
The U.S. official told reporters that within Iran's "very complicated" decision-making system, most senior figures support the deal, though some have privately complained it is not strong enough. The official said the White House has been told by Iranian civilian and military leadership that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "comfortable with where we are."
The central dispute between the two sides centers on Iran's frozen assets. Iran claims those billions will be unfrozen immediately upon signing. The United States insists unfreezing will occur only in exchange for Iranian nuclear concessions. Vice President Vance said the "economic benefits" would only flow if "Iran meets its obligations."
The U.S. official highlighted a key breakthrough on uranium disposal. Over the past two weeks, with Trump personally involved in negotiations, the two sides have moved beyond verbal commitments to a specific written text on how Iran will destroy and dispose of enriched uranium. Both sides are satisfied with the language, the official said.
But significant technical work remains ahead. A detailed plan for disposing of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, limiting future enrichment, and decommissioning nuclear sites will require additional negotiations beyond the agreement's signing. The U.S. official said that process "is going to take a little bit of time to figure out" and cannot be rushed.
The framing battle over the deal's contents risks undermining the agreement itself. While both Washington and Tehran now claim they are on the verge of a breakthrough, efforts to control the narrative around the terms could complicate final signing.
Author James Rodriguez: "The deal is close enough to taste, but the haggling over who gets credit and what the terms actually say could still blow it apart."
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