Intl desk: US President Donald Trump says a deal to stop the war on Iran could be signed as early as Sunday. Tehran has rejected the timeline but says the signing could happen in the “coming days”.
Trump says the Strait of Hormuz will “open to all” once the deal is signed and claims the US will eventually get Iran’s nuclear material.
He also referred to Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles, saying that “at the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust,” which he said would later be destroyed.
Trump warned that if the process did not proceed “quickly, easily and smoothly,” Washington had “the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again.”
Pakistan, which has been playing a mediating role, also indicated that an agreement could be finalized soon.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the parties were closer than ever to reaching a deal.
“With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical-level talks next week,” Sharif wrote on X.
However, Iran appeared more cautious about the timing.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said a memorandum of understanding was expected but suggested the signing would not take place immediately.
“We will have to wait and see about the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow,” he said.
Explosions rock southern Lebanon as Israeli forces continue deadly attacks, despite Iran insisting any truce deal must extend to Lebanon.
Funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will begin on July 4 in Tehran, with his burial set for Mashhad on July 9, according to Iranian media.
Democratic lawmakers have expressed scepticism with Trump’s expected peace deal with Iran,
“The President says the war is over. I hope that he is right,” Adam Schiff, senator for California, said on X. “But we have heard this before. Along with a raft of broken promises. “
“He has started new wars, but hasn’t reduced costs. And that has deeply harmed the American people,” he added.
Congressman Seth Moulton, meanwhile, described the potential deal as “basically a surrender document”.
“This is a terrible deal!” Moulton told MS Now. “It’s basically a surrender document from Donald Trump to the supreme leader of Iran. I mean, $100bn of taxpayer money already put into this war, 14 Americans dead, and we get a deal that just reopens a strait that was already open before he started this stupid war. How is that a win?”
