Trump Announces Sunday Deal to Reopen Hormuz, Iran Disputes Timeline

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that an interim deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and conclude the conflict with Iran is slated for signing on Sunday. In a social media post, Trump stated, “The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL.”

Trump further elaborated that Iran would not receive any financial compensation in the deal, addressing a key sticking point for Iran during negotiations. He also indicated that the United States would retrieve and destroy what he termed "Nuclear Dust," referring to Iran's highly enriched uranium, either in Iran or the U.S. once other components of the agreement were settled.

Pakistan, which has been mediating the talks between Washington and Tehran, is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed these preparations earlier on Saturday, noting that the signing would be “followed by technical level talks next week.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi initially echoed Trump’s expectations for a signing in a speech delivered on state television on Friday. However, a spokesman for Iran later ruled out a Sunday signing, according to reports from state-run IRIB news. Both sides have previously expressed differing views on the details of any potential agreement.

The primary objectives for the U.S. in these negotiations include reopening the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic and curbing Iran’s nuclear program. Conversely, Iran has insisted on retaining a degree of control over the waterway and gaining immediate access to its frozen funds, with negotiations over its uranium enrichment program proposed to occur after the interim deal is signed.

Trump has made numerous previous claims about an impending agreement to end the conflict, which reportedly began in February, but these have not materialized until now.

According to Fortune, these statements highlight the ongoing complexities and differing expectations surrounding a potential peace agreement.