IN BRIEF
- Deal would include reopening Strait of Hormuz, Trump said, but Iran said his assertion is “inconsistent with reality”.
- Iran is seeking an end to US blockade, sanctions relief and and supervision of strait.
On Sunday, former US President Donald Trump announced that a significant agreement with Iran was nearing completion. This potential deal would involve reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, although he noted that the agreement still required final touches.
Trump shared on his Truth Social platform, “An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries.” He mentioned several Middle Eastern nations alongside Türkiye and Pakistan, which acted as a mediator.
He added that among the key elements of the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, a crucial passage for global oil shipments.
However, shortly after Trump’s statement, Iran’s Fars news agency reported a different perspective. It stated that the Strait of Hormuz would continue to be managed by Iran, reflecting the latest communication between Tehran and Washington.
The Iranian agency labeled Trump’s claim of reopening the strait as part of the “largely negotiated” deal as “incomplete and inconsistent with reality.”
Among the Middle East countries whose leaders joined a call on Sunday to discuss the deal were Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, Trump said.
He added that he had a separate call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it “likewise, went very well”.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump said.
His optimistic post came after Iranian officials said gaps remained between the parties, and that the dispute over its nuclear program would not be part of the initial talks. Iran said it was finalising a 14-point framework for a deal.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei noted what he called “a trend towards rapprochement”, but said “it does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on the important issues”.
“Our intention was first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses,” he said on state television.
Baqaei added that he hoped the details of a final agreement could be worked out “within a reasonable timeframe between 30 to 60 days” after the framework is finalised.
‘Another act of folly’
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had warned earlier that Washington would face a tough response if it resumed hostilities, after US media reports raised the prospect of new strikes and Iranian officials accused the US side of making “excessive demands”.
“Our armed forces have rebuilt themselves during the ceasefire period in such a way that if Trump commits another act of folly and restarts the war, it will certainly be more crushing and bitter for the United States than on the first day of the war,” Ghalibaf said.
He issued the warning after meeting in Tehran with Pakistan’s army chief field marshal Asim Munir, a leading figure in international efforts to negotiate an end to the war, which broke out after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.
Weeks of negotiations, including historic face-to-face talks hosted by Islamabad, have still not produced a permanent resolution or restored full access to the Strait of Hormuz, choking vast quantities of global oil supply.
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