Will the US-Iran deal be signed on Sunday? What we know so far

United States President Donald Trump claims that the archetypal signifier of a bid deal with Iran volition beryllium signed connected Sunday aft more than 100 days of war that person triggered a planetary vigor situation and darkened the planetary economical outlook.

Tehran, however, has disputed the timeline, saying the signing of the woody could hap successful the “coming days”.

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The archetypal agreement, called a memorandum of understanding, would widen the existent ceasefire for different 60 days, according to media reports.

So what is the latest bid deal, and volition it beryllium signed? Here’s what we know:

What person the US and Iran said?

On Thursday, soon aft threatening to instrumentality power of Iran’s Kharg Island lipid facility, which processes 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, Trump said helium had called disconnected strikes connected the state due to the fact that a woody with Tehran was adjacent and could adjacent beryllium signed implicit the weekend.

The adjacent day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a memorandum of knowing (MoU) with the US had “never been closer”. Trump past shared Araghchi’s station connected his Truth Social societal media platform.

Iranian authorities media aboriginal reported extended details of what they said was included successful a papers with the US, noting that it besides included Lebanon, wherever Israel is conducting aerial strikes and a crushed penetration successful the south, successful the agreement.

Trump had earlier complained that the “terms that Iran leaked retired to the Fake News person NOTHING to bash with the presumption that were agreed to successful writing” and warned Iran’s leaders to “get their enactment together, fast”.

Then connected Saturday, ‌Trump said successful a societal media station that a woody with Iran was scheduled to beryllium signed ‌on ⁠Sunday and the Strait of ⁠Hormuz would beryllium instantly “open ⁠to all”.

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, however, said the MoU volition not beryllium signed connected Sunday but added helium does not regularisation retired that it could hap successful the “coming days”, according to authorities media.

“The Islamabad memorandum, which is being pursued, focuses connected ending the war, and astatine this stage, it has been decided that determination volition beryllium nary treatment astir the atomic issue,” helium said, referring to the papers negotiated with the mediation of Pakistan.

“We indispensable hold for the nonstop clip of signing the memorandum; though it volition not beryllium tomorrow, the anticipation that it volition hap successful the coming days is not ruled out,” helium added connected Saturday. “However, owed to the different party’s instability, we indispensable beryllium cautious astir immoderate statements regarding this process.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said connected Saturday connected X that the finalisation of the US-Iran statement is expected successful the adjacent 24 hours with “the physics signing of the bid woody instantly after, followed by method level talks adjacent week”.

He thanked the US and Iran for their committedness during the talks and those successful the portion for their support.

“We are assured that this historical bid woody volition signifier a beardown instauration for lasting peace,” helium concluded.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall said statements from the US and Iran indicated that the signing of the memorandum of knowing could hap soon though it’s not wide whether it volition beryllium an physics signing oregon an in-person signing.

“Over the past fewer days, determination were reports of preparations successful Switzerland for a carnal signing ceremony, but determination has been nary speech astir that immoderate more. The Pakistanis are present describing it arsenic an physics signing portion the Iranians are not adjacent confirming that for tomorrow,” helium said connected Saturday.

“So determination is simply a level of ambiguity present and not conscionable astir timing but besides the content,” helium added.

What bash we cognize astir the latest imaginable deal?

Trump connected Saturday utilized each caps to picture the statement with Iran arsenic “a partition to nary atomic weapon” and said Tehran volition hold to ne'er get a weapon, “whether done purchase, development, oregon immoderate different signifier of procurement”.

Once the archetypal signifier is signed, the Strait of Hormuz volition beryllium “open to all”, helium posted, adding that “when each is calm”, the US volition “get the Nuclear Dust” successful Iran and “destroy it”. Trump uses the word “nuclear dust” to notation to enriched uranium.

Araghchi said connected Friday that the statement consisted of 14 points, of which the archetypal is the lifting of the US blockade of Iranian ports. He said the MoU calls for an extremity to hostilities crossed each fronts, including Lebanon, and an statement not to initiate warfare oregon usage force.

Frozen Iranian assets volition beryllium released upon the MoU’s signing, helium added. Araghchi said the atomic contented volition beryllium discussed astatine a 2nd signifier and Iran’s presumption is that its enriched uranium should beryllium diluted wrong the country. He added that the 2nd signifier of negotiations is to besides absorption connected the removal of US sanctions.

According to Vall, some sides are mixing what is successful the MoU with their last goals, apt due to the fact that some sides are trying to merchantability this to the nationalist and astir apt to planetary parties arsenic well.

“President Trump is talking astir the atomic contented alongside the MoU, adjacent though we person been told that is thing that is going to beryllium dealt with successful the 60-day negotiations period.” helium said.

“The Iranians are besides talking astir levying fees successful the Strait of Hormuz and the unfreezing of assets and truthful on,” helium added.

“In short, present we cognize that the MoU is conscionable the archetypal step, and the sticking points volition beryllium discussed successful the 60 days aft it has been signed,” helium said.

What are immoderate of the sticking points of the deal?

Iran’s atomic programme

After decades of hostilities, Tehran’s atomic programme remains the cardinal contentious constituent betwixt the US and Iran.

The US has made it wide that Iran indispensable not possess, bargain oregon make atomic weapons – oregon adjacent person the capableness to beryllium capable to bash so.

Iran, conversely, maintains that its programme is for civilian purposes, which it is allowed to person nether planetary conventions, but it could beryllium consenting to negociate limits to its atomic activities if sanctions are removed.

Tim Constantine, a writer for The Washington Times, said Trump is apt to contiguous immoderate statement that prevents Iran from acquiring a atomic limb arsenic a victory.

He told Al Jazeera that avoiding a wider war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz oregon calming markets would beryllium “good byproducts” but Trump’s “number 1 precedence is Iran not having a atomic weapon”.

“And if helium tin constituent to wherever that is an implicit oregon is measurable and enforceable, past helium tin assertion a victory. And I deliberation the United States nationalist volition beryllium consenting to judge it.”

Sanctions

Iran is the astir heavy sanctioned state successful the world. Decades-long US sanctions against Tehran person crippled its economy, banking strategy and lipid exports.

Iran has insisted connected an extremity to the sanctions authorities portion the US has shown a willingness to enactment connected lifting it successful a phased and conditional manner, but differences implicit however to bash this linger.

Frozen Iranian assets

The destiny of billions of dollars of Iranian funds frozen overseas is different large sticking point.

Tehran wants entree to these assets arsenic portion of immoderate deal, arguing the wealth belongs to Iran and is needed for its economical recovery, particularly aft the harm inflicted by US-Israeli aerial strikes.

US negotiators person been reluctant to hold to a large-scale merchandise of funds without important concessions connected Iran’s atomic programme, however.

Extending the ceasefire to Lebanon

Israel’s bombardment and concern of astir one-fifth of Lebanon are a large sticking constituent successful the US-Iranian bid negotiations, and Tehran is pushing for a broader determination ceasefire, including an extremity to strikes connected its allies, specified arsenic Hezbollah successful Lebanon.

So far, a US-brokered ceasefire betwixt Israel and Lebanon has not stopped the bombings oregon crushed penetration successful confederate Lebanon for adjacent a day.

This past week, Iran upped the stakes for Israel’s continued disruption of a bid woody by launching missiles astatine it aft Israel again bombed Beirut’s confederate suburbs, location to galore Hezbollah supporters.

What astir the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran closed the strategical waterway, which is the lone way to unfastened water for Gulf lipid producers. Before the war, 20 percent of the world’s lipid and liquefied earthy state supplies were shipped done the strait.

Iran astatine times has allowed ships from countries it deems “friendly” to walk done the strait but this week reaffirmed that the waterway was closed aft caller US strikes.

Iran views the Strait of Hormuz arsenic its astir important constituent of leverage successful negotiations with the US, and it volition not springiness up power of the strait, it has said. The US has imposed a corresponding naval blockade connected Iranian ports to effort to enactment Tehran nether pressure.

On Thursday morning, Trump was inactive insisting that the US controls the strait, adjacent arsenic Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps support a steadfast grip implicit it and shipping postulation erstwhile again has stalled. Then connected Saturday, helium said the strait would beryllium “open to all” but did not specify if the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would end.

Tehran, however, maintains that the strait is not successful planetary waters but runs done the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and, therefore, it is considering charging vessels for transiting the waterway successful the signifier of providing security screen oregon different shipping services.

How has the satellite reacted to the US-Iran deal?

United States

There has been small absorption from members of Trump’s Republican Party arsenic expectations turn of an imminent woody with Iran. Some lawmakers, however, continued to criticise Tehran, saying it should ne'er beryllium allowed to person a atomic weapon.

Republican Senator Ron Johnson said successful a video published by the London-based Iran International quality outlet that a nuclear-armed Iran would airs an “existential threat” to the US.

Democratic lawmakers person besides expressed scepticism with Trump’s expected bid woody with Iran, “The President says the warfare is over. I anticipation that helium is right,” Adam Schiff, legislator for California, said connected X. “But we person heard this before. Along with a raft of breached promises.”

“He has started caller wars, but hasn’t reduced costs. And that has profoundly harmed the American people,” helium added.

Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton, meanwhile, described the imaginable woody arsenic “basically a surrender document”.

United Kingdom

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Trump’s efforts to extremity the warfare successful a telephone telephone connected Saturday.

“The Prime Minister expressed his enactment for President Trump’s efforts to bring the struggle with Iran to an end, welcoming the advancement made and underlining the value of ensuring immoderate woody delivers a durable and lasting peace,” helium said successful a statement.

Smoke billows from confederate Lebanon pursuing an Israeli strike, arsenic seen from Nabatieh, connected Saturday [Stringer/Reuters]

Israel

Reports of an imminent woody betwixt Iran and the US person prompted an aboriginal backlash successful Israeli media arsenic immoderate reporters and columnists expressed dismay astatine an statement that they fearfulness volition further empower Tehran.

Writing successful Maariv, Israeli columnist Ben Caspit argued that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won cardinal battles but mislaid the broader conflict with Iran.

“The lone lawsuit whose powerfulness outweighs the subject victories we achieved successful caller years implicit Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran is the governmental decision we suffered against them instantly afterward,” Caspit wrote.

In the Haaretz newspaper, columnist Zvi Bar’el argued that Iran arrived astatine the negotiating array successful a presumption of strength, “equipped with strategical levers of unit that affected the determination and planetary economy”, forcing the US to improvise alternatively than prosecute a coherent broader strategy. Iran, helium contended, has moved beyond simply seeking endurance and is erstwhile again asserting itself arsenic a determination power.

Reporting from Ramallah successful the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim said the Israelis could not halt the advancement of these talks astir a imaginable Iran-US woody but they support wanting to delink the 2 fronts – the 1 with Iran and the 1 with Lebanon.

“If you work betwixt the lines successful the analyses of definite subject analysts, determination seems to beryllium a fearfulness that Israel would person to supply concessions erstwhile it comes to its attacks and assaults connected Lebanon arsenic portion of that deal,” she said.

“Just successful the past night, the Israeli service has deed 70 targets wrong Lebanon, bringing the full to 400 implicit the past week, truthful the content is that they are trying to get distant with arsenic overmuch arsenic they tin earlier they nary longer can,” she noted connected Sunday.

She added that a gathering is expected to beryllium held by the Israeli information furniture connected Sunday nighttime to sermon the ramifications and the details of the imaginable signing of the memorandum of understanding.

“But the [Israeli] authorities volition person to look precise pugnacious questions, peculiarly erstwhile it comes to the warfare successful Iran,” she said.