The United States and Iran are inching closer to a historic peace agreement, potentially ending a conflict that has lasted 107 days. The negotiations, marked by mixed messages from both sides, have seen significant developments over the past few days. While US President Donald Trump and Pakistani mediators have indicated that a deal is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, Iranian officials have been more cautious, stating that the exact date is yet to be determined.
The path to peace has been fraught with challenges, but recent statements from key figures on both sides suggest that a resolution may be within reach. The agreement, which consists of 14 points, aims to address critical issues such as the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports and an end to hostilities across various fronts, including Lebanon.
Key Developments in the Peace Process
US President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to announce that the Strait of Hormuza vital artery for global oil supplies, would be opened to all immediately after the deal is signed. “The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL,” Trump posted on Saturday. This statement comes amidst reports from the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) that Iran had launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait.
On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed that the agreement includes 14 points, with the first being the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) also calls for an end to hostilities across all fronts and an agreement not to initiate war or use force. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that the signing date was yet to be determined, stating, “it will not be tomorrow.” He added that the possibility of the signing happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out.
Statements from Iranian Leaders
Marking the first anniversary of the 12-day war, Iran’s main negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Saturday that Iranians will stand until “final victory.” “Following the example of the heroic and oppressed martyrs of the 12-day war, we will stand to the last breath for the pride and final victory of our beloved Iran,” Ghalibaf posted on X. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian also weighed in, stating that Israeli aims to weaken the Iranian nation failed during Israel‘s 12-day war last June. He emphasized that Iran’s unity forced the adversary to accept a ceasefire.
International Reactions and Challenges
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Saturday that the “finalisation” of the agreement is expected “within the next 24 hours.” He mentioned that the agreement will be signed electronically, although further details were not provided. Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC, noted that the US president’s schedule for Sunday did not mention a virtual signing ceremony, but it could be added.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who launched the war in tandem with the US in February, stated that Trump had promised him any agreement would include the removal of the enriched nuclear material. However, the expected agreement has also prompted early backlash in Israel, with some commentators arguing that it will further empower Iran. Israeli columnist Ben Caspit wrote in Maariv, “The only event whose power outweighs the military victories we achieved in recent years over Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran is the political defeat we suffered against them immediately afterward.”
Despite reports of a nearing Iran deal, Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon. Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett reported from Beirut that there were dawn air strikes in the town of Deir ez-Zahrani, which killed two people in the district of Nabatieh. The mayor of a town called Rihan in the district of Jezzine was also killed, and one person was killed in a cemetery just south of the city of Tyre. Hezbollah has reported targeting Israeli soldiers attempting to advance.
Democratic lawmakers in the US have expressed skepticism over Trump’s plans, with Senator Adam Schiff describing the potential deal as “basically a surrender document.” “The President says the war is over. I hope that he is right,” Schiff said on X. “But we have heard this before. Along with a raft of broken promises.”
