Are US, Iran Near A Deal? Trump, Pakistan Say Pact Lands Sunday; Tehran Denies It: What We Know

Trump said a new US-Iran nuclear deal will be signed Sunday and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Pakistan echoed optimism. Tehran, however, denied any Sunday signing and urged caution.

Trump said a new US-Iran nuclear deal will be signed Sunday and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Pakistan echoed optimism.

Source : PTI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• US President Trump announced new Iran nuclear agreement Sunday.
• Deal prevents Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, reopens Hormuz Strait.
• Pakistan hinted imminent signing; Iran denied Sunday deal conclusion.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said a new nuclear agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, contradicting with Iran's claim that no deal will be signed. He also said that the deal would prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump sharply criticised former President Barack Obama's 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), calling it a pathway to an Iranian nuclear weapon. He claimed his administration's agreement was "the exact opposite" and would serve as a barrier to any Iranian nuclear ambitions.

Trump said Iran no longer seeks a nuclear weapon and would be prevented from obtaining one through development, purchase, or any other means. He also claimed the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened to all maritime traffic immediately after the agreement is signed.

The US president stressed that, unlike the Obama-era deal, the new agreement would not involve any transfer of US funds to Iran. He also said that nuclear material allegedly buried deep underground in Iran would eventually be recovered, downblended and destroyed, either in Iran or the United States.

"Barack Hussein Obama’s Deal with Iran, the JCPOA, was an easy, beautiful, smooth road to a Nuclear Weapon, which Iran would have had six years ago, and would have used long before now. My Agreement with Iran is the exact opposite, A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON! In fact, they no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor will they have one, either through purchase, development, or any other form of procurement. The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL," Trump said in a post.

Expressing optimism about future ties, Trump said Washington looked forward to working with Iran and countries across the Middle East. 

" At the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust, buried deep under the powerful sunken granite mountains, thanks to our beautiful B-2 Bombers and their brilliant pilots, and downblend and destroy it, whether in Iran, or the United States," he said.

However, he warned that the United States retained "the ultimate alternative" if diplomatic efforts failed, without elaborating further.

Pakistan Signals Imminent Breakthrough

Adding to speculation, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suggested that the agreement could be concluded as early as Sunday. In a post on X, Sharif said the two sides had agreed on a framework for peace and that Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing of the deal, followed by technical-level discussions next week.

"We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical-level talks next week," Sharif said.

No Confirmation On Signing Date

Despite Pakistan's optimism, neither the United States nor Iran has officially confirmed when the agreement will be signed. Tehran has cautioned against expectations of an immediate breakthrough.

Iranian officials indicated that a peace framework could be signed in the coming days but rejected suggestions that it would happen within the next 24 hours.

Araghchi said discussions were progressing, though changes to the proposed agreement were still possible. He added that the tentative deal reflected Iran's strengthened position following the conflict.

'Wait And See': Tehran

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei ruled out a signing ceremony on Sunday and urged caution over predictions about the timing.

"We will have to wait and see about the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow," Baghaei said.

"The possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out. However, due to the hesitation of the other side, we must be cautious in making any comments about this process," he added.