Trump Says Iran Deal Is Near; Tehran Disputes Account
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that a prospective agreement involving Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has been “largely” negotiated, though Iranian state-linked media quickly disputed his account.
Writing on social media, Trump said final details were still being discussed and that an announcement would come “shortly.” He said he had spoken with leaders from Israel and several Middle Eastern and regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain. He described the proposed arrangement as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to peace,” requiring final approval by the United States, Iran and other participants in the talks.
Iran’s Fars news agency challenged Trump’s statement soon after it was posted. Citing the latest exchanged text between Washington and Tehran, Fars reported that the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian control and said Trump’s suggestion that an agreement was near completion was “inconsistent with reality.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime route for global energy markets, with about 20 per cent of the world’s oil shipments passing through it. According to the report, Tehran effectively closed the passage after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran in February. The sides have been negotiating since an April ceasefire in an effort to secure a lasting end to the fighting.
Trump has threatened to resume large-scale strikes if Iran does not agree to reopen the strait and scale back its nuclear program. Iran has sought broader guarantees, including an end to fighting involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, assurances for shipping security, and protections for its nuclear program and enriched uranium stockpile.
Trump’s announcement did not address the nuclear program or Lebanon, leaving major questions unresolved as negotiations publicly continue and competing accounts emerge from Washington and Tehran in coming days.