U.S. and Iran near possible peace deal as Strait of Hormuz clashes continue

Pakistan said Saturday that the United States and Iran could finalize an agreement to end the Middle East war within 24 hours. Both sides expressed optimism about concluding a deal after weeks of negotiations that followed an April 8 truce.

Optimism from mediators and officials "We are closer to a peace deal than ever before," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X. " A senior U.S. official also voiced optimism that an agreement would be sealed over the next few days.

Conflicting positions on key issues The two sides have released conflicting information about the contents of any deal. Tehran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium and maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, positions that appear at odds with Washington's longstanding red lines.

The strait carries oil and gas from the Gulf to markets worldwide. Tehran has blockaded the waterway since the outbreak of war, requiring vessels to obtain permission from its armed forces before transiting. The U.S. military has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports to limit the country's energy exports.

New clashes broke out in the strait on Saturday.

" "US forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded," the statement added. President Trump denied on Friday that the terms being discussed favor Iran. "The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing," he said in a post on Truth Social.

" He said the deal would call for lifting the U.S. naval blockade and unspecified changes to the administration of the strait. The war began in late February when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, killing its supreme leader Ali Khamenei.