Washington, June 14: US President Donald Trump said an agreement aimed at ending hostilities between the United States and Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, though Iranian officials have cast doubt on the timeline.
In a social media post, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas shipments, would reopen to all traffic immediately after the deal takes effect. He also suggested the United States would later secure and destroy Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium once tensions subside.
Trump warned that Washington still had “the ultimate alternative” if the agreement failed to proceed smoothly, while expressing hope that such action would not be necessary.
Pakistan, which has been mediating between the two sides, said the agreement could be finalized within 24 hours and preparations were underway for an electronic signing. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the parties were closer to peace than ever before, with technical-level talks expected next week.
However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei urged caution, saying the exact date of signing had not yet been determined. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also said negotiations were close but indicated that talks on Iran’s nuclear program would begin only after the broader agreement is reached.
Araghchi said the proposed deal includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US blockade on Iranian ports. US officials have indicated that economic benefits for Iran will depend on Tehran meeting its commitments.
Iran has long denied accusations that it is pursuing nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes such as electricity generation and research.
The conflict began on February 28 after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks against Israel and US allied states in the Gulf. Although a ceasefire was reached in April, sporadic exchanges of fire have continued, including two rounds of retaliatory strikes earlier this week. (BBC)
People’s News Monitoring Service
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