Pakistan has declared that a US-Iran peace deal is “expected in the next 24 hours”, as uncertainty continues over the prospect of an immediate end to the conflict. Donald Trump said that a memorandum of understanding could be signed as soon as Sunday in Europe, while Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the deal “has never been closer”.
However, US and Iranian officials have given conflicting accounts of the agreed terms as Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, warned against a “misinformation campaign” designed to “sabotage” reconciliation. Trump has since expressed frustration over slow progress, describing the Iranians as “very dishonourable people to deal with” and calling on them to “get their act together, and FAST!”
“Pakistan says deal expected in 24 hours, but Trump calls Iranians 'dishonourable' as issues over Hormuz and nuclear remain unresolved.”
A key sticking point in ongoing negotiations is the status of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran since shortly after the conflict began in February. A senior official in the White House Administration said on Friday that under the terms of the memorandum, the crucial waterway would be reopened and the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports. Araghchi insisted that sovereignty over the Strait belongs to Iran and Oman and that Iran would continue to ensure safe passage for ships, adding “our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz”. Responsible for a fifth of world oil flows, the Strait has become a key chokehold for Iran, with several ships attacked as they attempt to cross through.
On nuclear policy, no final decision has been made. In a draft of the memorandum briefed to Reuters, discussions are pushed back to a 60-day period of talks with no mention of Tehran agreeing to give up its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. A senior Trump administration official has insisted that Tehran is committing to dismantling its nuclear weapons programme and decommissioning nuclear sites, including destroying and removing the enriched material. They added that it was not yet clear how this would be done, and it remains unclear as to the extent of the damage done to Iran’s nuclear programme and missile stockpiles.
Despite the tensions, Iran's top diplomat in Mexico said Iran's presence in the United States for the World Cup should be read as a gesture of goodwill amid talks to end the conflict. “Iran and the US can be very good friends,” he said. Meanwhile, a senior US official quoted by Reuters claimed a text was in place which both sides liked, and an Iranian official said “decision making bodies” were meeting to discuss the terms – but he could not confirm any of the details.