Trump says a deal with Iran and opening of Strait of Hormuz are ‘largely negotiated’

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump said Saturday that a deal with Iran on , including opening the Strait of Hormuz, has been 鈥渓argely negotiated鈥� after calls with Israel and other allies in the region.

鈥淔inal aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,鈥� Trump said on social media, with no details. He said he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, and separately with Israel.

He described it as a 鈥淢emorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still must be finalized by the United States, Iran and the other countries that participated in the calls. It capped a week in which the U.S. weighed a new round of that would break a fragile ceasefire.

There was no mention of Iran’s nuclear program and highly enriched uranium, which Iran has sought to discuss later. There was no immediate comment from Iran or Israel. Trump said speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had pressed the U.S. to go to war, went 鈥渧ery well.鈥�

There had been growing optimism among officials

Earlier on Saturday, a regional official with direct knowledge of the Pakistan-led mediation efforts said the U.S. and Iran were closing in on a deal to end the war.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door deliberations, cautioned that 鈥渓ast-minute disputes鈥� could blow up the efforts. This is not the first time in recent weeks that a deal has been described as close.

The official said the deal would include an official declaration of the war’s end, with two-month negotiations on Iran鈥檚 nuclear program. The would be reopened and the U.S. would end its .

Iran, meanwhile, had signaled 鈥渘arrowing differences鈥� in after Pakistani army chief Asim Munir held more talks in Tehran.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday welcomed Trump鈥檚 efforts to advance peace in the Middle East. He said Pakistan would continue supporting peace efforts 鈥渨ith utmost sincerity鈥� and 鈥渨e hope to host the next round of talks very soon.鈥�

In a post on X, Sharif congratulated Trump on what he called his 鈥渆xtraordinary efforts to pursue peace鈥� and described discussions among regional leaders as 鈥渧ery useful and productive.鈥�

Twelve weeks have passed since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, killing top Iranian officials and interrupting nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran for the second time in less than a year. Iran fired at Israel and at neighbors hosting U.S. forces, shaking Gulf nations that had considered themselves safe havens in a tough region.

A ceasefire has held since April 7. But Iran鈥檚 decision to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz for ships carrying regional oil, natural gas and other critical supplies has been a focal point of global concern and economic pain.

Iran described it as a 鈥榝ramework agreement’ for more talks

Iran state TV earlier quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as describing the draft as a 鈥渇ramework agreement鈥� and adding: 鈥淲e want this to include the main issues required for ending the imposed war and other issues of essential importance to us. Then, over a reasonable time span, between 30 to 60 days, details are discussed and ultimately a final agreement is reached.鈥�

He said the Strait of Hormuz is among the topics discussed.

But Baghaei told Iran鈥檚 official IRNA news agency that nuclear issues are not part of current negotiations.

鈥淥ur focus at this stage is on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon,鈥� he said, adding that lifting sanctions on Tehran 鈥渉as explicitly been included in the text and remains our fixed position.鈥�

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah鈥檚 Al-Manar TV reported that the Lebanese militant group’s leader received a letter from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying Tehran will not abandon its allies. There is a fragile, in the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon, a conflict that began two days after the Iran war started.

Trump had said 鈥榮erious negotiations鈥� were underway

Trump earlier said he was on a military strike against Iran because 鈥渟erious negotiations鈥� were underway, and at the request of allies in the Middle East. Trump has for Tehran and then backed off.

Iran鈥檚 parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the lead negotiator in with the U.S. last month in Islamabad, said Saturday that and if Trump resumed attacks, the result would be 鈥渕ore crushing and more bitter鈥� than at the start of the war.

State TV said he spoke after meeting with Pakistan鈥檚 army chief, who also met with Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials. Qatar sent a senior official to Tehran to support Pakistan鈥檚 efforts.

The war鈥檚 stated aims have not been achieved. Iran still has its enriched uranium and a missile program it says is being rebuilt. It continues to express support for armed proxies in the region. The new supreme leader, though still unseen publicly since the war began, is the son of the previous one and close to the powerful Revolutionary Guard.

And the Iranian people have not revolted against the government as both Trump and Netanyahu had predicted after nationwide protests early this year.

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Magdy reported from Cairo and Superville from Washington. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.

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