Trump promises – As mediator Pakistan and the United States suggested a deal to end the Iran war could be reached by Sunday, President Trump said the pact is “scheduled to get signed” and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen soon. Iran’s foreign ministry disputed that timeli
The Strait of Hormuz has been a lifeline for global energy—and a stress point for months of war. On Saturday morning, President Trump pushed that tension into a countdown, telling followers on Truth Social that a deal to end the Iran war was “scheduled to get signed” Sunday.
Trump also said the strait would open soon after the signing, framing the moment as the end of a standoff that has effectively strangled shipments in the Persian Gulf. But Iran’s own messaging immediately undercut the certainty of that schedule.
Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, told Iranian state media on Saturday: “It will not be tomorrow.” He also added, “The possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out.”
Pakistan, acting as mediator, sent signals that progress was real and moving quickly. In an early morning post on X. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said. “We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. ” and described a finalized peace deal as “likely expected in the next 24 hours.” Sharif said both sides would sign electronically once the agreement is finalized. followed by technical-level talks next week. He called it “this historic peace deal” and said it would “form a strong foundation for lasting peace.”.
The diplomatic tempo has intensified since Friday, when Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, posted on X that “The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer.”
Trump, too, emphasized what he said the agreement would include. He claimed Saturday that the deal would eliminate Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile that could be used in a nuclear weapon—one of the central sticking points in negotiations. Even so, he did not provide details about how that would be carried out.
On social media, Trump described a dramatic next step involving uranium “downblend and destroy” actions, citing B-2 bombers. He wrote: “At the appropriate time. when all is calm. we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust. buried deep under the powerful sunken granite mountains. thanks to our beautiful B-2 Bombers and their brilliant pilots. and downblend and destroy it. whether in Iran. or the United States.”.
He followed that with a warning that sounded less like reassurance than leverage: “Hopefully, this process will all work out quickly, easily, and smoothly. If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!”
The sequence matters because it reflects a pattern that has marked the war’s final push. Trump has alternated between promises of near-peace and threats of force. On Thursday. he said he had called off planned strikes on Iran. pointing to “the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.”.
Now, with a tentative ceasefire already in place since April 7, the focus is on whether the fighting’s pause can become a durable agreement—and whether demining can proceed without the strait staying closed any longer.
The Group of Seven summit begins on Monday, where Trump is expected to discuss demining the Strait of Hormuz. A senior U.S. official. briefed journalists on condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House. said Trump plans to meet on the G7 sidelines with the leaders of Egypt. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to discuss efforts to wind down the war.
Britain and France—G7 members—have said they are interested in assisting with demining once the conflict is paused.
Still, key operational questions remain unanswered. It has not been clear how many mines are in the strait—mines that Iran has effectively controlled since shortly after the war began. virtually shutting down oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf. The U.S. has blockaded Iranian ports in response.
The closing line of Trump’s messaging Thursday was blunt in a way that keeps pressure on the timeline. “The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on social media.
In other words, even if the diplomatic words point toward Sunday, the enforcement posture appears to wait for the paper to be signed—something Iran now seems to suggest may not happen as quickly as Trump, and the mediators, are projecting.
NPR’s Carrie Kahn contributed to this story.
Trump Iran peace deal Strait of Hormuz Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif Esmail Baghaei Abbas Araghchi enriched uranium demining G7 naval blockade
So it’s definitely Sunday then? I mean Trump said it.
Iran said “not tomorrow” but I swear people are just gonna cherry pick the headline. Strait of Hormuz reopening “soon” sounds like something that never happens on time.
Wait, Pakistan is mediating? I thought Pakistan always had their hands in everything. Also “sign electronically”?? like they’re gonna email peace? Doesn’t that still take forever with all the sanctions stuff…
This feels like one of those countdowns where it doesn’t actually get signed and then everyone acts surprised. Trump says it’s scheduled, Iran says nope, and Pakistan says next 24 hours… so which one is it, like do we just pick the version we like? Also “strangling shipments” like that’s all news, not sure how much is real vs hype.