Donald Trump has claimed that a peace deal with Iran has been 'largely negotiated', potentially paving the way for an end to the war launched by the US and Israel in February. In a post on his social media platform, Trump said that a memorandum of understanding was being finalised and that the Strait of Hormuz would be opened as part of the agreement.
However, Iran's Fars news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that the strait would remain under Iranian control, describing Trump's assertion as 'inconsistent with reality'. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later congratulated Trump on his peace efforts and said Pakistan hoped to host another round of talks between the US and Iran 'very soon'.
Details purported to be in the draft agreement include the reopening of the strait with no tolls during a 60-day ceasefire extension, while Iran would be able to freely sell oil and negotiations would be held on curbing its nuclear programme. In exchange, the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports, according to reports citing US and regional officials.
Three senior Iranian officials told the New York Times that the agreement would stop the fighting in Iran and Lebanon, and could release $25bn in Iranian assets frozen overseas, with a nuclear agreement to be negotiated within 30 to 60 days. Trump continued to threaten strikes if a deal was not reached, telling CBS and Axios he would only sign an agreement 'where we get everything we want'.
