The US President and his administration announced on Saturday that the signing of an initial agreement to end the Middle East conflict is scheduled for Sunday. However, the Iranian side disputed the specific timeline, stressing that the process requires further elaboration and a cautious attitude from all sides.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the two sides had reached a framework for a peace deal. For his part, President Trump said via social media that the Iran deal was to be signed on Sunday, adding that after the signing, the Strait of Hormuz — a key seaway for global oil supplies that has been closed for months — would immediately be “open to all.”
Tehran’s reservations about the timetable
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai told state media that the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding remains a matter of discussion, clarifying that it will not take place within the next day. Mr. Baghai added that due to the other side’s stance, Tehran has reservations about the process and does not intend to prejudge the facts.
A US official, who briefed reporters, declined to confirm the timetable, limiting himself to describing the agreement as “significant and strong”. The war conflict, which began on February 28, 2026 with joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran, has caused thousands of casualties, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and caused severe turbulence in the global economy, sending energy prices soaring.
The content and mechanism of the agreement
The proposed memorandum of understanding focuses on the reopening of the Straits of Hormuz and the lifting of the naval blockade on Iranian ports. Negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, which was the US side’s stated rationale for starting the war, are set to take place at a later stage.
According to the American official, the restoration of navigation and the lifting of the blockade will be carried out in coordination. The next step after the signing will be the process of demining the Straits, in which the countries of the group of seven most powerful economies (G7) may have a role. The terms, as described by sources, call for the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and the lifting of sanctions on oil exports, in exchange for a guarantee of free passage through the sea lane.
Thorns: The nuclear program and military requirements
One of the thorniest issues in the negotiations remains Iran’s nuclear program. While the US seeks to dismantle the infrastructure and completely remove enriched uranium, Tehran, through Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtsi, appears to want to keep the material in diluted form. Iran’s Fars news agency also reported that Tehran is demanding the imposition of fees for services provided in the Straits of Hormuz, as well as the withdrawal of all foreign military bases from the wider area.
On the operational front, tension remains high. On Saturday, US forces shot down Iranian attack drones approaching the Straits. The US Central Command confirmed the incident, stressing that the moves posed a threat to commercial shipping, although the sea lane remains open.
Israel’s attitude and regional consequences
Israel remains outside the deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that his country is not bound by the memorandum. The rift in Tel Aviv-Washington relations is deepening over President Trump’s demand that Israel limit its military operations in Lebanon to allow rapprochement with Tehran. Israel’s defense minister said the country’s forces will not withdraw from the occupied territories, stressing that Israel expects to maintain full freedom of action against any threat.
Inside Iran, the situation remains fluid after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of hostilities. The role of supreme leader has been taken over by his son, Mojtaba. Official rites for Khamenei’s funeral are expected to begin in Tehran on July 4 and conclude with his burial in the holy city of Mashhad on July 9, at a time when the country is being called upon to redefine its position on the international stage.
