Trump Says U.S. and Iran Deal to Open Strait of Hormuz Within 24 Hours

The United States and Iran moved toward finalizing a deal to extend their fragile ceasefire and open the Strait of Hormuz, with President Donald Trump saying on Truth Social that “The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL.”

“A peace deal between the United States and Iran is expected within 24 hours and will be immediately signed electronically, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said”

Al Jazeera

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the agreement was expected to be finalized within 24 hours and that Pakistan would prepare for electronic signing, followed by technical-level talks next week.

Al Jazeera

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said no signing would occur Sunday, while leaving open the possibility in the coming days, according to state media.

The possible deal would extend the ceasefire for 60 days, during which Iran would be expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and work with the United States to dismantle nuclear material, with Iran eventually receiving relief from sanctions and access to billions of dollars in frozen assets.

The Washington Post described the possible agreement as the closest the two sides have come to ending their four-month war, which has fueled a spiraling global oil crisis and followed one of the most intense weeks of conflict since the ceasefire began in April.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media that “We will have to wait and see about the exact time of signing the memorandum [of understanding]; although it will not be tomorrow, the possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out.”

Al Jazeera reported that Abbas Araghchi said the agreement being considered consisted of two stages, with the first being a memorandum of understanding and the second the beginning of negotiations on several issues.

PBS

Araghchi said the initial stage would halt fighting, including Israel’s offensive in Lebanon, with commitments not to relaunch attacks, while the second stage would address the future of Iran’s nuclear programme, the lifting of sanctions and the unfreezing of Iran’s assets.

The Washington Post reported that Abbas Araghchi told state media Friday he was “hopeful” about the prospects of a deal, but that some terms he described differed, including the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Washington Post also said Araghchi affirmed the agreement might only be two pages long and that it would initially be signed digitally.

The emerging agreement is framed as a path to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil and natural gas, after the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28 virtually shut down shipments from the Persian Gulf.

“Democracy Dies in Darkness By Victoria Craw , Rachel Chason and Cate Cadell The United States and Iran are expected to finalize a deal Sunday that would extend their fragile ceasefire, paving the way for a longer truce, President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s prime minister said — though Tehran appeared to cast doubt on the prospect”

The Washington Post

PBS reported that a senior U.S. administration official said the 60-day period after both sides sign the deal would be used to work out technical details for removing Tehran’s highly enriched uranium, which the official said is believed to be entombed under three nuclear sites battered by U.S. strikes last year.

Al Jazeera said the memorandum of understanding stage would include commitments not to relaunch attacks, and that Araghchi stressed the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian and Omani sovereignty with future administration different than in the past.

The Washington Post said the initial deal would involve haggling over signing logistics and that the two sides appeared to differ over key aspects of terms to ensure longer-term peace.

The Washington Post added that the nearly four-month war has strangled global shipments of oil, gas and other commodities through the strait and driven a global spike in energy prices, making the next steps of the deal central to the ceasefire’s continuation.