US President Donald Trump has announced that a peace agreement between the United States and Iran is expected to be signed on Sunday, despite Tehran signalling uncertainty over the timing of the deal.
In a post on social media, Trump said the agreement would be followed by the Strait of Hormuz being “open to all,” referring to the strategic waterway that carries a significant share of global oil and gas shipments. He also suggested that discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme would continue after the deal, saying the “Nuclear Dust” would later be addressed and destroyed at an appropriate stage.
However, Iranian officials have pushed back on the suggested timeline. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the signing was not expected on Sunday, urging patience over the finalisation of the memorandum of understanding. “We will have to wait and see about the exact date,” he said, while acknowledging that negotiations were progressing.
Pakistan, acting as one of the mediators in the talks, said the agreement was “likely expected” to be finalised within 24 hours. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said preparations were underway for an electronic signing, followed by technical-level discussions next week. Qatar, another key mediator, has also sent a delegation to Tehran, according to Iranian media, although its impact on the timing remains unclear.
Trump, posting on Truth Social, described the deal as imminent and warned of consequences if progress stalled. He also indicated that Washington retained “the ultimate alternative” should negotiations fail.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said earlier that an agreement framework had been reached, including provisions linked to wider regional de-escalation, such as ending the conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Talks on Iran’s nuclear programme would follow in a later phase.
While US officials have confirmed elements of the emerging agreement, they stressed that any economic relief for Iran would depend on compliance with its obligations. Previous rounds of negotiations have repeatedly stalled at advanced stages, despite earlier signs of progress.
The conflict, which escalated following strikes in late February, has included attacks across Iran, Israel, and Gulf-linked targets, along with disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire agreed in April has held only partially, with intermittent exchanges continuing.
Israel, which is not part of the negotiations, has continued military operations in Lebanon, issuing evacuation warnings in southern villages amid renewed tensions with Hezbollah.
As diplomatic efforts continue, uncertainty remains over whether the latest push will lead to a formal agreement or join a series of stalled attempts to end the conflict.
