Opening of Strait, Tehran to sell oil freely, 60-day ceasefire extension: US-Iran deal

The US and Iran ⁠are close ⁠to signing ‌a deal ​involving a 60-day ceasefire ​extension, ⁠during which the Strait of Hormuz ⁠would ‌be reopened, Iran would ‌be ⁠able to freely sell oil ‌and ‌negotiations would ‌be ‌held on curbing Iran's nuclear ⁠programme, ⁠Axios reported on Saturday, citing a US official.

On Saturday, Trump said that a "largely negotiated" memorandum of understanding on an Iran peace deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran's Fars News Agency disputed the claims.

Trump posted on social media that the emerging agreement would reopen the strait, the vital shipping passage whose closure ⁠has upended global energy markets since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in February.

He ‌did not say what else would be included in an ​agreement.

"Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

But Fars reported early on Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to manage the strait and that Trump's assertion on the strait was "inconsistent with reality."

The deal includes an "apparent commitment" by Iran to give up its highly enriched uranium, the New York Times reported, citing two unidentified US officials.

Details of how Iran would cede that ​stockpile would be left for a subsequent round of ⁠talks, the newspaper quoted the officials as saying.

While offering various war aims during the three-month-old conflict, Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. struck Iran to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran has denied it is pursuing nuclear weapons and says it has a right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.

Iran said on Saturday that it was working toward a memorandum of understanding on ending the war after its top officials ⁠met with Asim Munir, the ‌army chief of Pakistan, which has sought to be a mediator in the war.

The Pakistani army said the negotiations had resulted in "encouraging" progress. Two Pakistani sources involved in the talks said the deal being negotiated is "fairly comprehensive ‌to terminate the war."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Trump on X for his "extraordinary efforts to pursue peace."

Sources have told Reuters the proposed framework would unfold in three stages: formally ending the ⁠war, resolving the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and launching a 30-day window for negotiations on a broader agreement, which can be extended.

One of the Pakistani sources said that if the U.S. accepts the memorandum, ‌further talks could take place after the Eid holiday ends on Friday.

The US president, whose approval ratings have been hit ‌by the war's impact on US energy prices, said on Friday he would not attend his son's wedding this weekend, citing ‌Iran among the reasons he planned to stay in Washington.

Trump spoke on Saturday with leaders ‌from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan. The leaders encouraged Trump to agree to the emerging framework, Axios reported.

A call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also went "very well," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Pakistan has aimed to narrow differences between Iran and the U.S. after weeks of war have left the ⁠vital Hormuz waterway closed to most ⁠shipping despite a nervous ceasefire.

"The trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei.

Iran has demanded supervision of the strait, an end to the U.S. blockade on its ports and the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil sales.

Baghaei said the issue of the U.S. blockade on Iran's shipping was important, but that its priority was ending the threat of new U.S. attacks and the ongoing conflict in Lebanon, where Iran-allied Hezbollah militants are fighting Israeli troops who have moved into the south.

Pakistan's army chief ​Munir left Tehran on Saturday after talks with Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Qalibaf said Iran's armed forces ​had rebuilt their capabilities during the ceasefire and that, if the ​U.S. "foolishly restarts the war," the consequences would be "more forceful and bitter" than at the start of the conflict.

Despite weeks of conflict, Iran has preserved its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium as well ​as missile, drone and proxy capabilities.