President Donald Trump said Saturday that a deal to end the war with Iran is scheduled to be signed Sunday, after which the Strait of Hormuz would be opened to all traffic. The statement, posted on Truth Social, came amid differing signals from Tehran and regional intermediaries about the timing and status of the agreement.
Trump wrote that the United States expects to work with Iran and Middle Eastern countries “long into the future.” He also said Washington would, at an unspecified point, seek to remove enriched uranium from Iran, using the phrase “Nuclear Dust” and referring to material buried under mountains. The White House did not immediately clarify those remarks in response to CNBC.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, quoted earlier by state media, urged caution about any signing date. He reportedly said the memorandum of understanding would not be signed Sunday, though he did not rule out action in the coming days. Baghaei cited hesitation by the other side as a reason for restraint in public comments.
Trump’s post ended with a warning that, if the process did not proceed smoothly, the United States had “the ultimate alternative,” which he said he hoped would never be used again. He did not define the phrase.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said earlier Saturday that the United States and Iran were closer to a peace deal than ever before and suggested finalization could occur within 24 hours, with technical talks next week. Trump reposted Sharif’s comments. Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, said Saudi officials welcomed negotiations in their final stage and referred to an electronic signing ceremony scheduled for Sunday.
A senior Trump administration official said Friday the United States was not fully confident the agreement would be signed. The current proposal includes economic relief for Iran.