Trump, Iran issue mixed signals on potential peace deal

Prospects for a peace agreement between the United States and Iran remained uncertain on Friday as President Donald Trump and Iranian officials issued conflicting statements about whether negotiators are close to a final text.

Trump, who had previously suggested a preliminary agreement could be signed as soon as this weekend, appeared to walk back those remarks in a series of social media posts attacking Iranian leaders. “With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith,” he wrote.

The comments followed reports in Iranian media denying that the terms of any deal had been fully agreed, alongside publication of what those outlets described as a draft text. Adding to the confusion, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a social media post that a final text of a peace deal between Washington and Tehran had been agreed, without providing details.

Neither Tehran nor Washington has confirmed that a final version is complete, though a senior U.S. official said there was an “80 to 85%” likelihood an agreement could be signed within days. The official attributed the delays to internal divisions within Iran and said Tehran would receive economic rewards for complying with its obligations under the deal, including significant sanctions relief.

Strait of Hormuz remains a central sticking point

Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, said the “broad outlines” of a deal were being finalized but added that Iran would not relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and liquefied gas supplies. IRNA said the strait has been shut to most shipping by Tehran since shortly after the war began in February.

U.S. officials have insisted on freedom of shipping through the strait. A U.S. official said Washington and Tehran had agreed terms under which the strait would reopen and the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports.

Ceasefire backdrop and next steps

The reports and counter-claims come after a ceasefire came into effect in April. Since then, Trump has repeatedly said a deal was close, while also warning of potential new attacks if diplomacy fails.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said an “Islamabad memorandum of understanding” for addressing the conflict “never been closer,” and urged media outlets to avoid speculation about its contents until it is finalized. He said Iran would publish details once negotiations are complete.

What to watch next is whether U.S. and Iranian officials confirm a final text in the coming days and clarify how any agreement would address shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and related economic measures.