Summary Says he had ‘a very good call’ with leaders in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan
- The president said he just finished “a very good call” with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain.
- Iran's Fars news agency reported early on Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz. It said Trump's assertion that an agreement was nearly final was
- Trump did not say what else would be included in an agreement.
WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump wrote on Saturday that a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal with Iran is ‘largely negotiated,’ as both countries and mediators in Pakistan reported progress.
The president said he just finished “a very good call” with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain.
The possible deal is “subject to finalisation between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed”, Trump added.
Trump posted on social media that the emerging agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping passage whose closure upended global energy markets after the conflict started in February when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
Trump did not say what else would be included in an agreement. "Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly," Trump said.
DEAL TO ALLOW IRAN TO MANAGE STRAIT OF HORMUZ: TEHRAN
Iran's Fars news agency reported early on Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz. It said Trump's assertion that an agreement was nearly final was "inconsistent with reality."
Iran had said earlier on Saturday that it was working toward a memorandum of understanding laying out an approach to ending the war after its top officials met with Asim Munir, the army chief of Pakistan.
The Pakistani army said the negotiations had resulted in "encouraging" progress towards a final understanding. Two Pakistani sources involved in negotiations said the deal being negotiated is "fairly comprehensive to terminate the war."
Sources have told Reuters the proposed framework would unfold in three stages: formally ending the war, resolving the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and launching a 30-day window for negotiations on a broader agreement, which can be extended.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump told Axios that he expected to decide on Sunday whether to resume attacks on Iran.
"Either we reach a good deal or I'll blow them to a thousand hells," Axios quoted him as saying.
One of the Pakistani sources said there was no guarantee the U.S. would accept the memorandum; if it does it would lead to further talks after the Eid holiday ends on Friday.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he had a phone call on Saturday with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.
Axios reported that the leaders encouraged Trump to agree to the emerging framework.
Pakistan has aimed to narrow differences between Iran and the U.S. after weeks of war have left the vital Hormuz waterway closed to most shipping despite a nervous ceasefire.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier on Saturday reiterated Trump's terms for ending the fighting. "Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The straits need to be open without tolls. They need to turn over their enriched uranium."
Rubio, who is visiting India, said some progress had been made and work was continuing.
