The United States and Iran are on the verge of a potential breakthrough to end their current conflict, though conflicting statements remain over the exact timing and terms of the agreement. On Saturday, President Trump announced that a memorandum of understanding between the two nations will be signed as early as Sunday, a move he stated would immediately reopen the heavily contested Strait of Hormuz.
“My Agreement with Iran is the exact opposite [of the JCPOA], A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He added that Iran no longer wants a nuclear weapon and noted that regarding frozen assets, “no money will exchange hands.”
Trump also stated that once the situation calms down, U.S. forces will enter to retrieve and destroy “nuclear dust” buried under granite mountains from previous B-2 bomber strikes. He expressed hope the process would go “quickly, easily, and smoothly,” but warned, “If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!”
Despite Trump’s timeline, Iranian officials quickly downplayed a Sunday signing. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated on the state-owned IRIB media network that while a deal in the coming days is possible, it will not happen tomorrow. “As for the exact timing of the memorandum’s signing, we must wait,” Baghaei said, urging caution due to what he termed the other side’s inconsistency. Baghaei also emphasized that the current text focuses strictly on ending the war, asserting that “at this stage it has been decided that the nuclear issue will not be addressed.” This contradicts reports from sources earlier in the week indicating a planned 15-to-20-year nuclear enrichment lockout.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, serving as the lead mediator, aligned more closely with the U.S. timeline. Sharif posted on social media that finalization was “likely expected in the next 24 hours,” with Pakistan preparing for an immediate electronic signing followed by technical-level talks next week. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar also briefed Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the final stages of the negotiations.
Even as diplomats push for a resolution, military actions on the water show the conflict is far from quiet. Early Saturday, the U.S. military shot down several Iranian attack drones in the Strait of Hormuz that were apparently targeting commercial vessels. Trump labeled the drone activity “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”
At the same time, the U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports remains fully active. U.S. Central Command reported that it redirected two more vessels over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of redirected ships to 141 since the blockade began. To date, the U.S. has used rocket fire to disable nine non-compliant ships.
The enforcement of this blockade continues to cause international friction. Earlier in the week, a U.S. strike on the engine room of the oil tanker M/T Settebello killed three Indian nationals after the vessel reportedly ignored commands to turn back. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from U.S. forces,” reinforcing that violations will not be tolerated. In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs lodged a strong protest with the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, calling the use of lethal force against civilian shipping “unacceptable.”
Looking ahead to next week, a senior U.S. administration official confirmed that Trump plans to bring a demining strategy for the Strait of Hormuz to the Group of Seven summit in France, which starts Monday. Both Britain and France have expressed interest in helping clear the waterway once a pause in the conflict is secured. Trump is also scheduled to hold sideline meetings at the G7 with leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to discuss winding down the war.
As peace talks dominate the weekend, Iran is also preparing for a major internal transition. State media reported Saturday that the multi-day funeral for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike back in February, will begin on July 4. His burial is set for July 9 at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad.
READ: Freedom Lasted Hours: North Carolina Man Back Behind Bars After Machete Attack
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
