U.S. administration plans Strait of Hormuz demining talks at G7 summit

A senior U.S. administration official said Saturday that the president will discuss plans to demine the Strait of Hormuz with allies at next week’s Group of Seven summit in France. The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under White House ground rules, added that the president also plans to meet on the sidelines with leaders of Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to discuss efforts to wind down the Iran war.

The summit begins Monday. Britain and France, both G7 members, have expressed interest in assisting with demining the critical waterway once the conflict is paused. The official said the talks will focus on clearing mines after any pause in fighting.

Pakistan says deal imminent Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a deal aimed at ending the war was closer than “ever before” and expected to be finalized within 24 hours. Pakistan is preparing for an electronic signing of the agreement, to be followed immediately by technical-level talks next week.

Sharif posted on X that the United States and Iran deserve thanks for their commitment during negotiations. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement carried by state television that while the agreement will not happen tomorrow, the possibility it could take place in the coming days cannot be ruled out.

Baghaei added that the Islamabad memorandum under discussion is focused on ending the war and that at this stage there will be no discussion of the nuclear issue. Three regional officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Friday they expect a signing ceremony in the coming days after officials in Washington and Tehran approve the agreement.