DUBAI — President Donald Trump has said “an agreement has been largely negotiated” between the United States, Iran and regional powers, the details of which include reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but the Iranian media disputed that claim.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the next round of talks between the US and Iran will happen “very soon”.Pakistan says it has held “highly productive talks” with Iranian leaders in Tehran, resulting in “encouraging progress toward a final understanding” between the two adversaries.Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei earlier told state television that US and Iranian positions had been converging in the last week, but warned that did not mean agreements would be reached on key issues and accused the Americans of “contradictory statements”.On social media, Trump said he had a “very good call” with the leaders in the region about a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE”.”An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed,” Trump said.“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump Writing on Truth Social.But Iran’s Fars news agency 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.”US news website Axios reported late on Saturday that the US and Iran were close to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz with no tolls during a 60-day ceasefire extension, while Iran would be able to freely sell oil and negotiations would be held on curbing Iran’s nuclear program.In exchange, the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and issue some sanctions waivers on Iranian oil, Axios said, citing a US official.The draft agreement also includes commitments from Iran never to pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate over a suspension of its uranium enrichment program and the removal of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the Axios report said.According to The New York Times, the proposed deal includes an “apparent commitment” by Iran to give up its highly enriched uranium. Details of how Iran would cede that stockpile would be left for a subsequent round of talks, the newspaper said, citing two unidentified US officials.Trump, while offering various war aims during the three-month-old conflict, has repeatedly said the US 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.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.”Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on his social media the “achievements of these negotiations offer grounds for optimism that a positive and durable outcome is within reach.”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 US accepts the memorandum, further talks could take place after the Eid holiday ends on Friday.Trump, 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. Turkey is ready to provide every kind of support during implementation of a potential deal with Iran, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.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 US after weeks of war have left the vital Hormuz waterway closed to most shipping despite a nervous ceasefire.“The trend this week has been toward 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 spokesman Baghaei.Iran has demanded supervision of the strait, an end to the US blockade on its ports and the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil sales.Baghaei said the issue of the US blockade on Iran’s shipping was important, but that its priority was ending the threat of new US 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 Araghchi.Qalibaf said Iran’s armed forces had rebuilt their capabilities during the ceasefire and that, if the US “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.The new sense of momentum comes after the mood appeared to have soured in Washington, with anonymous officials briefing US media on Friday that the administration was preparing for a fresh round of military strikes, although no final decision had been made.On Friday, the president posted on Truth Social that he would not attend his son Donald Jr’s wedding this weekend so he could remain in Washington DC “during this important period of time”.Last week, Trump had said the truce was on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s demands, labelling them “totally unacceptable”.
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