Washington: US President Donald Trump has shifted from threatening fresh military action against Iran to claiming that Washington and Tehran are close to a peace agreement, adding fresh uncertainty to an already tense regional situation, The Guardian reported.
After two days of escalating attacks that pushed a fragile ceasefire to the brink, Trump announced the cancellation of planned US missile strikes and bombing operations against Iran. He said negotiations had progressed to the highest levels of Iran’s leadership and suggested a breakthrough could be reached soon.
The announcement followed a series of social media posts in which Trump alternated between warnings of military escalation and claims that a deal was near. Hours before calling off the strikes, he had threatened a powerful attack on Iran and declared that the United States would take control of Kharg Island, the key hub for most Iranian oil exports, along with other major energy facilities.
Tehran, however, quickly challenged Trump’s claims. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said negotiations remained incomplete and that no final decision had been taken on the proposed agreement. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency also cautioned against treating reports of a deal as confirmed before an official announcement from Tehran.
A diplomat familiar with the talks said much of the framework had been negotiated earlier but warned that significant obstacles remained, leaving the proposed agreement vulnerable to collapse.
The reported understanding includes steps toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, future nuclear negotiations and discussions on frozen Iranian assets. Israel, meanwhile, distanced itself from the process, stating that it was not a party to any memorandum with Iran.
The developments highlight the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations as regional tensions continue to threaten stability despite renewed diplomatic efforts.