US, Iran move closer to deal to end war but timing in question

US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, after which he said the Strait of Hormuz would “immediately” open to all maritime traffic.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, however, was quoted by state media as saying the signing will take place “in the coming days” but “not tomorrow.”

In a Truth Social post, Trump described the agreement as establishing “A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON,” claiming that Iran will not seek to acquire nuclear weapons through purchase, development, or any other means.

He said the deal will not involve financial payments to Iran, contrasting it with what he described as past US financial transfers under former President Barack Obama.

“Unlike Obama’s Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in payments to them, including 1.7 Billion Dollars in green, cold cash, no money will exchange hands.”

Trump also claimed that the US will “downblend and destroy” the Iranian nuclear dust “at the appropriate time, when all is calm … whether in Iran or the United States.”

The diplomatic push follows weeks of escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran, with US strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region.

Trump on Thursday cancelled attacks scheduled on Iran for the third day in a row, asserting that discussions with Tehran “have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.”

The anticipated deal will reportedly extend the current ceasefire for 60 days, including in Lebanon, during which nuclear negotiations would take place.