US President Donald Trump says a deal aimed at ending hostilities between the United States and Iran is expected to be signed on Sunday, although Iran has cast doubt on the timeline.
In a social media post, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, would be "open to all" once the agreement is finalized.
Pakistan, which has been acting as a key mediator, also said the deal could be completed within 24 hours and that preparations were underway for the electronic signing of the agreement.
However, before Trump's comments, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei urged caution, saying, "We will have to wait and see about the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow."
Trump also warned that if the negotiations did not "work out quickly, easily and smoothly," Washington had "the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again."
The conflict began with US and Israeli strikes across Iran on February 28th, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran against Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, as well as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Although a ceasefire was agreed to in April, the US and Iran have continued to exchange intermittent fire, including two rounds of retaliatory strikes this week.
Source: BBC
