Pakistan’s prime minister declared a final peace deal between the US and Iran had been reached on Friday – hours after Donald Trump accused Tehran of leaking “fake” terms that “bear no relation to the truth”.
Shehbaz Sharif, whose country helped mediate the truce, wrote on X that a memorandum of understanding had been agreed and awaited finalising. “Peace has never been this close as it is now,” he said, as the US president appeared to contradict his own earlier optimism about a “great settlement” he said was imminent.
“Pakistan's PM announces final peace deal between US and Iran, despite Trump accusing Tehran of leaking 'fake' terms.”
The war began with US and Israeli strikes across Iran on 28 February, prompting Iran to attack Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf and to close the Strait of Hormuz – a key shipping route for the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas. Despite an April ceasefire, the two sides have exchanged intermittent fire, including two rounds of tit-for-tat strikes this week.
Trump said on Thursday that he had cancelled “scheduled attacks” against Iran because negotiators had “just made a great settlement”. But on Friday, after Iranian media published details of a 14-point deal, he accused Tehran of dishonesty. “What they said … bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonourable people to deal with,” he wrote.
Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, told state TV the agreement includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US blockade of Iran, with talks on the nuclear programme to begin later. US officials confirmed some details, saying economic benefits for Iran would depend on Tehran meeting its obligations.
Araghchi said there are “supporters and opponents” of the terms among Iran’s top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, and that a collective decision had not been reached. “For now, we must wait. If approved, the agreement will be signed remotely,” he said.
US officials said the deal would reopen Hormuz in return for lifting the blockade, with those steps taking effect immediately, followed by a 60-day negotiation period focusing on Iran’s enriched uranium. Israel is not involved in the talks.
An Iranian official told Reuters that “decision making bodies” were meeting to discuss the terms, but could not confirm details. A senior US official said both sides were “very close” to a deal, with a text in place that both liked.
Araghchi was quoted in state media saying Iran was the “winner of the war”. But with Trump calling the leaked terms a fabrication and Tehran’s leadership still divided, the question remains whether the deal will hold.