Trump says US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreement
US President Donald Trump claims the US and Iran are close to signing a peace agreement and cancels planned missile strikes. Iranian officials have not confirmed this.
Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US and Iran are on the verge of signing a peace agreement and announced he would cancel fresh missile strikes. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that discussions with Iran had reached the highest level and been approved, so as president he was cancelling scheduled strikes.
Trump claimed the negotiations had been approved by other parties to the conflict, including Israel, which has been skeptical about any deal, as well as Gulf states Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, plus Turkey and Pakistan. He added that the naval blockade would remain in force until the signing.
A diplomat briefed on the talks said the deal had largely been agreed weeks ago but there was still a 50% chance it would collapse. The agreement provides a timeline for demining the Strait of Hormuz, during which the US blockade would remain. It also discusses mechanisms for further nuclear talks and releasing frozen Iranian assets, but contains no concrete agreements on how this would happen.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran had not reached a final conclusion. The semi-official Tasnim news agency wrote that any news from Trump on this matter should be dismissed until Iran announces an understanding.
Just hours earlier, Trump had said the US would take control of Iran's oil and gas infrastructure and launch further strikes, despite a nominal ceasefire. He also threatened to seize Kharg Island, which handles about 90% of Iran's oil exports. Later he walked back the threats, telling Fox News he didn't know if America had the stomach for it.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on both sides to return to full implementation of the ceasefire negotiated in April and avoid further violence.
Analysts said taking Kharg Island would require ground troops, exposing US soldiers to attack. Senator Ruben Gallego warned that Trump was putting troops in danger.
Iran and the US have exchanged strikes for two consecutive days, triggered by the downing of a US helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. The April ceasefire has been undermined by sporadic retaliatory strikes. Trump said Thursday's assault was prompted by Iran stalling in peace talks.
The most intense strikes occurred Thursday morning, with the US hitting military surveillance, communication, and air-defense sites across Iran. The US military also struck an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz that it said was trying to breach the blockade. An Indian official said three Indian crew members were killed on a ship.
Iran launched missiles and drones at Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. Bahrain's interior ministry said an 11-year-old girl was injured.
Despite the strikes, Iranian officials told Reuters that talks on a preliminary deal had intensified. Major obstacles remain, including how to unfreeze billions in Iranian assets and the conflict in Lebanon. Iran wants funds released all at once, while the US prefers a phased approach. Trump wants Iran to end restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and guarantee it will not develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies pursuing.
