U.S. and Iran Near Agreement to End Conflict and Reopen Strait of Hormuz
President Trump announced that a deal with Iran to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is nearing completion, following discussions with regional leaders.
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that a deal with Iran to end the ongoing conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz has been "largely negotiated." This development follows discussions with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Israel. The proposed agreement, described by Trump as a "Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE," is pending finalization by the involved parties.
The deal aims to officially declare an end to the war and initiate two-month negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. It also includes provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei referred to the draft as a "framework agreement" focusing on ending the war and addressing essential issues, with detailed discussions to follow over a 30 to 60-day period.
The conflict began on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran, resulting in the deaths of top Iranian officials, including its supreme leader. Iran retaliated by targeting Israel and neighboring countries hosting U.S. forces, leading to regional instability. A ceasefire has been in place since April 7, but Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused significant global economic concerns.
While the current negotiations do not address Iran's nuclear program, Baghaei emphasized that lifting sanctions on Tehran is explicitly included in the text and remains a fixed position for Iran. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV reported that the group's leader received a letter from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, affirming Tehran's commitment to its allies.
President Trump indicated that he had been holding off on further military action against Iran due to ongoing "serious negotiations" and at the request of Middle Eastern allies. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned that if the U.S. resumed attacks, the response would be "more crushing and more bitter" than at the start of the war.
The proposed agreement represents a significant step toward resolving the conflict and addressing regional tensions, with further negotiations anticipated to finalize the details.