Donald Trump Says U.S.-Iran Deal Will Sign Sunday, Reopen Strait of Hormuz Immediately

President Donald Trump said a U.S.-Iran agreement would be signed on Sunday and that “immediately after it’s signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said early Saturday that a peace deal was closer “than ever before,” with finalization “likely expected in the next 24 hours,” and he said Pakistan was preparing for electronic signing followed by technical level talks next week.

ABC News

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Saturday that “it will not be tomorrow,” while also saying the possibility of signing in the coming days cannot be ruled out.

The NBC News report also said the memorandum of understanding would reopen the Strait of Hormuz immediately without tolls and restore prewar shipping within approximately 30 days, and it would include a 60-day extension of the current ceasefire.

The Washington Post described the expected deal as one that would extend their fragile ceasefire, paving the way for a longer truce, while noting that Tehran appeared to cast doubt on the prospect.

NBC News reported that the final deal includes “A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON!” and that Trump said Iran “no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor will they have one.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian state media he was hopeful a memorandum of understanding “could happen within the next one or two days, or within the next few days,” while Baghaei said the other side’s inconsistency meant “we should remain cautious.”

Al Jazeera

A senior US official told reporters on Friday that a deal was “not quite at the finish line yet, but we are very close,” and that the memorandum of understanding would involve “significant” sanctions relief and the unfreezing of Iranian assets.

The same senior US official said Iran would agree to dismantle its nuclear programme and hand over its nuclear material, but that Iran would not immediately receive anything and sanctions relief and release of funds would be contingent on Iranian compliance.

Al Jazeera added that Araghchi said the first stage would halt fighting, including Israel’s offensive in Lebanon, while the second stage would address the future of Iran’s nuclear programme, the lifting of sanctions, and the unfreezing of Iran’s assets.

NBC News said the agreement would include an end to fighting in Lebanon, where Israel has continued a deadly offensive against Hezbollah despite existing ceasefire agreements.

El País reported that Trump said the truce with Iran would be signed this Sunday and that “immediately after its signing, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened to all,” while Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told local press that the signing would not be Sunday.

El País also said a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity told reporters that the United States is courting the pact and that it will arrive “in the coming days,” and it cited the official’s confidence rising from “75%” to “80 or 85%.”

NBC News reported that oil prices fell below $90 a barrel Friday morning after Trump said a peace deal was within reach, and it said U.S. crude oil futures for July delivery were at $84 per barrel early Saturday while August Brent sank to around $87 per barrel.

Al Jazeera said the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian and Omani sovereignty and that its future administration would be different than in the past, even as Pakistan prepared for electronic signing and technical talks.