Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday that the United States and Iran have reached an agreement on the wording of a peace deal to end the ongoing war. In a post on X, Sharif wrote, "Peace has never been this close as it is now." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that optimism, stating that an agreement "has never been closer." Neither leader provided additional details about the reported agreement or the next phase of negotiations.
The apparent diplomatic progress follows a series of conflicting public statements from former President Donald Trump, who accused Iranian officials of leaking inaccurate details about a potential ceasefire agreement. "The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with."
After two days of back-and-forth attacks between the United States and Iran, Trump publicly threatened on Thursday a major escalation in the conflict. In a social media post, he warned that the U.S.
would hit Iran "VERY HARD TONIGHT" and suggested Washington could eventually seize control of key Iranian oil facilities, including Kharg Island, the country's most important oil export terminal. Trump claimed Iran's military capabilities had been largely destroyed and said the U.S.
would ultimately take control of the country's energy infrastructure. "At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets," Trump wrote.
Trump later said he called off planned military strikes after negotiations were elevated to Iran's highest levels of leadership and approved by all parties involved. He also condemned recent drone attacks targeting Indian ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz, calling them "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE," and said he was "pretty confident" the U.S.
was days away from ending the war.
At the center of the conflict is Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil and natural gas supplies, and U.S. demands that Tehran surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The United States and Israel say the material could be used to build a nuclear weapon, a concern that helped spark the war on February 14, 2026. Iran has insisted that any agreement to end the war must also stop fighting between its ally Hezbollah and Israel.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears determined to continue pursuing his goal of dismantling the militant group.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a separate statement on Friday that Israel also expects Trump to uphold key Israeli interests, including weakening Iran's missile program and proxy network. Katz warned that Israel could still act independently toward Iran and that the country would not pull out of the zones it is occupying in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, nor would it withdraw from the northern refugee camps of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The conflict has rattled global markets, with uncertainty surrounding shipping through the Strait of Hormuz driving energy prices higher and increasing costs for consumers worldwide.