Trump Says U.S.-Iran Deal Largely Negotiated, Strait of Hormuz to Reopen

President Trump said Saturday that a draft agreement with Iran to end the war has been largely negotiated and will be announced shortly. He said the deal would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz after phone calls with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and Israel.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said significant progress has been made but added that final details remain under discussion. Rubio spoke during a visit to India and said he hoped for good news in the coming hours.

Two regional officials said the draft includes Iran’s commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon and to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. One official said the method of transfer would be negotiated over a 60-day period, with some material possibly diluted and the rest sent to a third country.

The same officials said the framework calls for a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in parallel with the United States ending its blockade of Iranian ports and allowing limited oil sales through sanctions waivers. Sanctions relief and release of frozen funds would also be negotiated during the 60-day window.

Fars news agency said the strait would remain under Iran’s monopoly and discretion. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the draft contains 14 clauses and that details would be discussed over the next 30 to 60 days.

The announcement came twelve weeks after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began February 28 and killed senior Iranian officials. A ceasefire has been in place since April 7, though firing has continued between Israel and Hezbollah. More than 3,000 people have been killed in the latest round of fighting in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Twenty-two Israeli soldiers and one defense contractor have also been killed, according to Netanyahu’s office. Israeli officials expressed concern that Hezbollah remains a threat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump that Israel maintains freedom of action against threats in all arenas, including Lebanon, according to an official familiar with the conversation.