Trump discusses Iran talks with leaders of Egypt, regional states Saturday: Reuters

CAIRO – 23 May 2026: US President Donald Trump is expected to hold phone calls on Saturday with the leaders of Middle East countries involved in US-Iran war de-escalation efforts, an Arab official told Reuters.

Trump is set to hold calls with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as well as the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Turkey and Pakistan, according to the official.

The anticipated phone calls come while the US and Iran both reported progress in talks on Saturday, pursuing a last-minute deal that saves the fragile ceasefire in place from collapsing and ends the nearly three-month war.

Trump told CBS News on Saturday that Iran is “getting a lot closer” to reaching an agreement with the US on the war.

Meanwhile, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is finalizing a memorandum of understanding focused on ending the war and paving the way for further negotiations on other issues.

Sources told Reuters this proposed framework would unfold in three stages, including formally ending the war, resolving the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, and launching a month-long, extendable window for negotiations on a broader deal.

However, Trump told Axios that he will discuss the recent draft Iran agreement with advisers and could make a decision on Sunday on whether to resume the war.

He said the chances of reaching a deal with Iran are “50/50,” saying it would either be a “good” agreement or he would “blow them to kingdom come.”