Trump scraps planned Iran strikes, promising imminent deal; Teheran says no final decision made

[WASHINGTON/DUBAI] US President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US and Iran could sign a peace deal as soon as the weekend of Jun 13-14 that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, but Iran countered that it had not reached a final decision on an agreement.

The deal, if confirmed, would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet to end the three-month-old war, which has killed thousands of people and sent global energy prices sharply higher.

Iranian media reported Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying that large parts of the negotiating text have been finalised but Iran would not compromise on its red lines.

“We have not reached a final conclusion on this matter,” he said. “This is a very important issue that is currently being reviewed by the relevant decision-making bodies.”

Trump, meanwhile, told reporters at the White House: “We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran.”

“The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Vice-President JD Vance could sign for the United States, Trump added.

When asked if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has approved the deal, Trump said: “I understand the answer is yes.”

Trump’s announcement came after he called off planned military strikes on Iran, citing progress in talks. US stocks rose and oil prices fell on the news.

Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly claimed that a deal with Iran to end the war was close. The two sides have traded strikes this week, straining a ceasefire announced in April.

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“It’s a very strong memorandum of understanding that is a little conceptual,” Trump told reporters.

Trump has repeatedly said that any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. Iran denies it is seeking such a weapon.

Iran’s demands include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the Strait of Hormuz.

“The big thing is there will be no nuclear weapons in Iran. That means not developed and not purchased,” Trump later said during a campaign event held by telephone.

Tit-for-tat strikes

The war has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and hit the world economy by pushing up energy prices since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on Feb 28.

In recent days, the conflict has intensified despite a tenuous ceasefire that took effect in early April. After a US Apache helicopter was downed, Trump this week ordered new strikes around the Strait of Hormuz over two days.

At the same time, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on US bases in the region. Bahrain’s interior ministry said on Thursday an 11-year-old girl suffered minor injuries and homes were damaged after debris fell from Iranian drones that were intercepted and destroyed.

Trump had said earlier Thursday that the US would hit Iran “very hard tonight” and wanted eventually to take Iran’s oil infrastructure hub Kharg Island. The island handles 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports and seizing it would give the US the ability to severely disrupt Iran’s energy trade, placing enormous pressure on Teheran’s economy.

Iranian state media said early on Friday that the country’s forces prevented a tanker from transiting the Strait of Hormuz without coordination. One-fifth of the world’s energy shipments normally travel through the narrow waterway, but it has been largely shut since the war began.

Domestic pressures

The conflict has become a political headache for the White House, with polls showing Trump’s approval ratings sinking amid voter anger over high gasoline prices.

Some Republicans have openly worried that the war’s unpopularity could cost them control of Congress in November’s midterm elections. But Trump’s political considerations also include satisfying Iran hawks within his Republican Party, who scuttled a prior effort, that any agreement closes Teheran’s path to developing a nuclear weapon. The reaction of other Middle East powers will also be crucial.

Regional leaders back deal, says Trump

Trump said on social media the agreement had been approved by “the highest level” of Iranian leadership, as well as other countries in the region including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement after the Israeli leader and Trump spoke that Israel was not a party to the memorandum of understanding with Iran.

Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for Trump’s commitment to securing a deal that includes removing enriched material, dismantling enrichment infrastructure, limiting missile output and ending support for regional proxies, according to the readout.

Teheran has been demanding an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon, where fighting has continued in a parallel war between Israel and Iran-backed Hizbollah militants. REUTERS