President Trump announced Saturday that an agreement to end the war with Iran was “largely negotiated” — but warned that the issue of the Islamic regime’s nuclear program was still unresolved.
“Final aspects” were being worked out with Iran on a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE,” he declared on Truth Social, as critics cautioned about taking the Islamic regime at its word.
President Trump said that an agreement with Iran has been “largely negotiated” after calls with Middle East allies. White House
The deal centers around reopening the Strait of Hormuz and is rumored to include releasing $25 billion of Iranian assets, which have been frozen overseas, according to The New York Times, citing three senior Iranian officials.
It would also stop fighting on all fronts “including in Lebanon,” where its terror proxy Hezbollah is headquartered, according to the outlet.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told state media the plan is to draft a memorandum of understanding to end the war, with discussions to finalize the pact taking place in 30 to 60 days.
The elephant in the room — Iran’s nuclear program — remained unsettled.
“The rumored 60-day ceasefire — with the belief that Iran will ever engage in good faith — would be a disaster. Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!” wrote Senate Armed Services Committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker, ( R-Miss.) Wicker wrote on X,
Trump has repeatedly said any final deal must ensure that Iran not get a nuclear weapon, and negotiators have for weeks been discussing how to deal with Iran’s enriched uranium, which Trump calls “nuclear dust.”
Tehran has long denied key elements of its nuclear program and built its nuclear sites deep underground.
And the president has previously slammed Iran for its history of negotiating deals, only to back out later.
“Every time they agree, the next day it’s like we didn’t have that conversation, and that’s taken place five times. There’s something wrong with them. Actually, they’re crazy,” he told Fox News’ Bret Baier in May.
Any agreement that strengthens Iran is a bad one, critics said.
“If it is perceived in the region that a deal with Iran allows the regime to survive and become more powerful over time, we will have poured gasoline on the conflicts in Lebanon and Iraq,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote on X.
“A deal that is perceived to allow Iran to survive and possess the ability to control the Strait in the future will put Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Shia militias in Iraq on steroids.”
Follow The Post’s latest coverage on the blocked Strait of Hormuz and its lasting effects
Mike Pompeo, who served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and secretary of state during Trump’s first term, slammed a potential agreement as “not remotely America first.”
Trump also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz “will be opened” falling the calls. via REUTERS
“The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world,” Pompeo wrote on X.
The White House bashed critics Saturday night, with spokesman Steven Cheung slamming Pompeo
“Mike Pompeo has no idea what the f–k he’s talking about. He should shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals. He’s not read into anything that’s happening, so how would he know,” he wrote on X.
Trump’s announcement came after a whirlwind of negotiations early Saturday.
Vice President JD Vance returned to DC from his home in Cincinnati as Trump prepared to meet with his national security team, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“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 later wrote.
“In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened,” Trump added.
The president had a “very good call” with officials from Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, he wrote.
He also said he spoke separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting the call went “very well.”
Earlier in the day, Trump said he was a “solid 50/50” on whether to sign a deal with the Islamic Republic or resume the war and “blow them to kingdom come.”
“We’re going to have a deal, or we’re going to have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they’re about to be hit,” he told CBS News.
“I will only sign a deal where we get everything we want.”