A major breakthrough to end the war with Iran may be imminent. President Trump announced late Saturday afternoon that a comprehensive peace deal is close to finalization, though the U.S. and Tehran remain publicly divided over who will control the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump revealed that the potential peace agreement has been “largely negotiated.” He noted that while the framework is set, the accord remains “subject to finalization between” the United States, Iran, and “various other” Middle Eastern nations.
As part of the diplomatic push, Trump confirmed he held a joint phone call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain. He also held a separate conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which Trump described as having gone “very well.”
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump stated, adding explicitly that under the negotiated terms, “the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”
However, Iran’s regime immediately challenged Trump’s statement regarding the future of the waterway, through which 20% of the world’s oil moved prior to the conflict. The near-total closure of the strait has sparked a severe global energy crisis and sent fuel prices soaring worldwide.
In a statement published by the semi-official Fars News Agency, which maintains close links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Tehran insisted that “in the event of a possible agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will still be under Iranian management.” Fars added that while Iran has agreed to allow maritime traffic to return to its prewar volume, “this does not in any way mean ‘free passage’ to the pre-war situation.”
The conflicting statements underscore the delicate nature of the current talks. Speaking to reporters, Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a more cautious tone than the president, emphasizing that a resolution must be reached soon, one way or another.
“The president, his preference is to find a diplomatic way that these problems can be solved. That’s always the president’s preference,” Rubio said, referring to the blocked strait and Iran’s nuclear program. “He would much rather have me and the Department of State solve this problem than the Department of War having to solve this problem.”
Rubio explained that if the agreement—which was developed alongside Washington’s “partners in the Gulf region”—is fully accepted by Iran, it could result in “completely open straits” and a permanent end to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. However, Rubio clarified that a final breakthrough is not yet guaranteed. He noted that even if “good news” emerges, it would not constitute “final news,” as the process requires strict Iranian compliance and “future work on negotiating the details.”
“Some progress has been made … I don’t want to downplay that, but I also want to caveat it by saying we still have some work to do,” Rubio said. “We’ll see.”
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The U.S. is also preparing for the possibility that talks might collapse. During a Friday press briefing in Sweden, Rubio warned that the U.S. and its allies must maintain a “Plan B” if Iran ultimately refuses to reopen the waterway.
Despite the remaining hurdles, regional mediators are expressing strong optimism. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced Saturday night that his country hopes to host the next official round of U.S.-Iran peace talks “very soon.”
In a social media post, Sharif congratulated Trump on his “extraordinary efforts to pursue peace” and praised the multi-nation phone call as “very useful and productive.” Sharif added that the conversations provided an important opportunity to move ongoing regional peace efforts forward, promising that “Pakistan will continue its peace efforts with utmost sincerity.”
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