Pakistan’s prime minister said Washington and Tehran have agreed to the wording of a potential deal, while President Donald Trump disputed Iranian descriptions of the terms and warned Tehran to move quickly.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Pakistan’s prime minister said Friday that the United States and Iran have agreed to the wording of a proposed agreement aimed at ending the Middle East war, though President Donald Trump later disputed Iranian descriptions of the emerging deal and warned Tehran to act quickly.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan, which has taken a leading role in mediation efforts, was working with both countries on the next steps after negotiators reached what he called a “final, agreed upon text.”
“Peace has never been this close as it is now,” Sharif wrote in a post on X.
The possible breakthrough comes after Iran exchanged fire with the United States and Israel over three days this week, raising fears that the conflict could return the region to full-scale war. There was no immediate formal confirmation from U.S. or Iranian leaders of Sharif’s statement.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also suggested Friday that negotiations had made significant progress, writing on X that an agreement “has never been closer.” Trump, who has said several times in recent weeks that the countries were near a deal, shared Araghchi’s post on his own social media account.
None of the leaders immediately released the full terms of the proposed agreement.
Vice President JD Vance said Friday that the deal under discussion between the United States and Iran “has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace,” while pushing back against reports and claims circulating about the negotiations.
“I’m seeing a lot of fake information about a potential deal to reopen the Strait and end Iran’s nuclear weapons program. First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” Vance wrote on X.
“The deal is structured to ensure that the U.S. and its allies concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region,” he continued.
Vance also criticized reactions to unconfirmed reports about the terms.
“I’ve noticed a couple of bizarre things in the reporting over the last few hours. First, people who (rightly) said Donald Trump was a historic president a month ago now criticizing a deal based on unconfirmed media reports. Second, people who say you can’t trust a word said by the IRGC [Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] who apparently believe anonymously sourced social media posts,” Vance wrote.
“The president is going to get us a good outcome, one way or the other,” he added.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28, has shaken the Middle East and severely disrupted oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 7.
Three regional officials said the emerging agreement is expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift sanctions on Iran in phases and release frozen Iranian assets. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.
A senior U.S. official said key provisions under discussion include the removal and destruction of Iran’s nuclear material and the dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear program. The official also said Iran would be required to stop funding terrorist groups. The U.S. official also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks publicly.
Trump underscored the fragility of the negotiations Friday when he criticized Iranian officials on Truth Social, saying their public statements did not match what had been agreed to in writing.
“What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING!” Trump wrote.
“They better get their act together, and FAST!” he added.
Trump’s post came before he shared Araghchi’s statement saying a deal had never been closer.
Trump said Thursday that he was calling off new strikes on Iran because a deal had been reached. On Friday, however, Iranian officials described terms that appeared to include many of Tehran’s demands, including sanctions relief, the release of frozen assets and a halt to hostilities across multiple fronts.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Friday that the draft would waive sanctions on Iran’s oil, unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian funds and require the cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. The source said nuclear issues would be left for later talks. The source did not say what Iran would give in return.
The nuclear issue has remained one of the central obstacles in the negotiations. The United States and Israel have said they are concerned that Iran’s nuclear program could lead to an atomic weapon, a concern they cited as a reason for going to war. Tehran has maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful.
The Strait of Hormuz is another major issue. Iran’s effective closure of the waterway, a critical route for global oil and natural gas shipments, has strained energy supplies, raised fuel prices and increased costs for food and other basic goods far beyond the region. Since mid-April, the United States has responded with a naval blockade of Iranian ports intended to restrict Iran’s oil exports.
Regional officials said they expect a signing ceremony in the coming days if officials in Washington and Tehran approve the text.
Trump had claimed significant progress Thursday, hours after threatening to escalate attacks and seize Iran’s oil industry. Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on state television that mediators were active and that the agreement text was “mostly finalized.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment Friday on Sharif’s statement. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had said Thursday that Pakistan remained involved in negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is not a party to the agreement being negotiated between Washington and Tehran. In a statement Friday, Netanyahu said he and Trump were in “full agreement” that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said separately that Israel expects Trump to protect key Israeli interests, including weakening Iran’s missile program and proxy network. Katz also said Israel could still act independently toward Iran and would not withdraw from zones it occupies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, or from northern refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Iran has said any agreement ending the war must also end fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s allied militia. Netanyahu has continued pursuing the goal of destroying Hezbollah, a position that could complicate efforts to finalize the U.S.-Iran deal.
Regional officials said Pakistan has been central to the mediation effort, led by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, with backing from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Qatar.
The competing statements Friday showed both the progress and the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations. Pakistan and Iran publicly suggested an agreement was close, while the Trump administration said any final deal must protect U.S. and allied interests, address Iran’s nuclear program and ensure Tehran meets its obligations before receiving economic benefits.
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