U.S. and Iran Near Peace Deal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz, Though Timelines Clash

The United States and Iran are on the verge of signing a landmark memorandum of understanding to end their four-month war, though the exact timing of the breakthrough remains a point of public friction. Following weeks of halting negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, the two nations have drafted a framework that would extend the current fragile ceasefire and reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.[1][2]

President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the agreement is scheduled to be signed on Sunday—his 80th birthday. Trump declared that "immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL," signaling an end to the maritime blockade that has choked global energy markets since the conflict erupted in late February.[3][4]

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif corroborated the accelerated timeline, stating that Islamabad is preparing for an "electronic signing" within 24 hours. According to Sharif, the remote signing will pave the way for technical-level talks in the coming week to iron out the logistics of the truce.[5][6]

However, officials in Tehran quickly pumped the brakes on the Sunday schedule. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that while a deal is imminent, it "will not be tomorrow," leaving the door open for a signing in the coming days. Iranian media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps criticized Trump's "unusual insistence" on a Sunday signing, suggesting the U.S. president was eager to align the diplomatic victory with his birthday.[1][4]

The proposed two-page memorandum of understanding centers on a 60-day extension of the ceasefire that has largely held since April 8. During this window, Iran would lift its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing commercial vessels to transit without the toll system Tehran imposed during the war. In exchange, the United States would lift its reciprocal naval blockade on Iranian ports.[2][7]

The 60-day period will also serve as a negotiating window to address Iran's nuclear program, which was a primary catalyst for the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes. According to U.S. officials, the framework requires Tehran to halt uranium enrichment and begin the process of destroying or removing its highly enriched stockpile.[1][8]

Trump expressed confidence that Iran has abandoned its nuclear ambitions, writing that the U.S. would eventually send B-2 bombers to extract the "Nuclear Dust" buried under Iranian mountains "when all is calm." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has maintained that Tehran prefers to dilute the enriched uranium and keep it within the country, setting the stage for tense technical talks.[4][5]

The prospect of a reopened Strait of Hormuz has already sent ripples of relief through global energy markets. The waterway is a critical choke point for roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas supply. On Friday, optimism surrounding the deal drove the U.S. crude oil benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, down nearly 4% to under $85 per barrel—its lowest level since the war began.[5][8]

Despite the diplomatic momentum, the prospective agreement faces fierce domestic opposition within Iran. On Saturday, dozens of protesters gathered outside a foreign ministry office in the northeastern city of Mashhad, waving red and black flags and chanting "death to dishonorable Araghchi." Hardline factions argue that relinquishing control of the Strait of Hormuz strips Tehran of its most potent geopolitical leverage and amounts to an unwarranted concession.[4][5]

Regional complexities also threaten to complicate the truce. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel expects the U.S. agreement to permanently dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities. Katz further emphasized that Israel is not a party to the U.S.-Iran deal and will not withdraw its forces from security zones in Lebanon, where it has been engaged in heavy fighting with the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.[5][7]

If the electronic signing proceeds in the coming days, the immediate focus will shift to the physical de-mining of the Strait of Hormuz and the establishment of verification mechanisms. While both sides are eager to claim victory, the ultimate success of the memorandum will depend on whether Washington and Tehran can translate a 60-day pause into a durable resolution to one of the most disruptive conflicts in modern Middle Eastern history.[1][8]