Trump says Iran deal will reopen Strait of Hormuz after Sunday signing
The president said an interim accord is set for Sunday, but Iranian state media reported conflicting signals on the timing.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran are set to sign an interim agreement Sunday that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict between the two countries. The claim matters because the waterway is a major route for maritime traffic, while Bloomberg reported that Washington and Tehran remain apart on key terms.
In a Saturday social media post, Trump said the deal was scheduled for signature the next day and that the Strait of Hormuz would be open to all immediately after signing. He described the agreement as a step toward ending the war with Iran, according to Bloomberg.
Pakistan has played a mediation role in the talks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday that Pakistan was preparing for an electronic signing of the peace deal, followed by technical-level discussions next week, Bloomberg reported.
Trump said Iran would not receive money under the agreement. Bloomberg reported that access to funds has been a central point of friction for Iran during the Pakistan-mediated negotiations.
The president also said the United States would “go in and get the Nuclear Dust,” using his term for Iran’s highly enriched uranium, once other parts of the deal were settled. Trump said the material would be destroyed either in Iran or in the United States, Bloomberg reported.
Tehran has sent mixed messages about the schedule. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in remarks carried by state television Friday that he expected a signing, but a spokesman later ruled out a Sunday signing, according to Iran’s state-run IRIB news service.
Bloomberg reported that Trump has repeatedly said an agreement to end the conflict, which began in February, was close, without a deal taking effect so far. The main U.S. goals are to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and limit Iran’s nuclear program, according to Bloomberg.
Iran’s demands remain broader than the account Trump gave Saturday. Bloomberg reported that Tehran wants to keep some control over the waterway and secure immediate access to frozen funds, while putting negotiations over uranium enrichment after an interim agreement is signed.
The competing accounts leave the timing and substance of any accord uncertain. Trump and Sharif pointed to a signing process beginning Sunday, while Iranian state media reported that at least one Iranian spokesman rejected that timeline.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.