Arabic version: ترامب يدعي أن اتفاق إيران شبه مكتمل، وينتظر المفاوضات النهائية

United States President Donald Trump has said that a Memorandum of Understanding in ceasefire talks to end the US-Israel war with Iran “has been largely negotiated.” According to Al Jazeera, the agreement will include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that it remained “subject to finalization” by US and Iranian negotiators and “various other countries.”

The announcement followed a series of calls Trump held with leaders from several countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Turkiye, and Bahrain. He also held a separate call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the situation. Trump indicated that the final aspects of the deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly.

This statement comes after a week in which Trump had issued threats to Iran, stating that time was running out for an agreement on a more lasting ceasefire. He mentioned being just moments away from resuming attacks but chose to put them “on hold” at the behest of Gulf countries.

Despite the progress, Iranian officials have expressed caution about negotiations with the US, recalling prior instances where military action was taken during discussions about Iran’s nuclear program. Since the war began on February 28, fighting has largely remained paused as of April 8, barring a handful of flare-ups. Key sticking points on a deal have been the future of Iran’s nuclear programme and its influence over the strait, the future of US military presence in the region, and access to frozen Iranian funds.