Trump says deal just about reached with Iran, calls off US strikes against regime

US President Donald Trump announces that an agreement has been reached with Iran, pending a signing to be announced shortly.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as president of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump announces on Truth Social.

“Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and others,” Trump says.

“The [US] 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 adds.

Iran has yet to confirm that the sides are on the verge of an agreement.

Trump has several times in the past claimed that a deal with Iran was all but signed only for talks to hit a snag. It is also far from the first time that Trump has threatened to carry out a major attack against Iran only to subsequently pull back.

The fact that Trump says that the US is keeping its blockade of Iranian ports in place would indicate that a deal hasn’t really been finalized yet.

On the table has been a memorandum of understanding extending a fragile ceasefire currently in place, while launching subsequent talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

According to the Axios news site, key gaps between the sides “were narrowed” during talks yesterday in Tehran between Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.