Iran Tensions Ease as Trump Cancels Strikes and Announces Near-Final Peace Deal
US President Donald Trump announced he canceled planned strikes on Iran after progress in peace negotiations, stating a deal is in final shape that could be signed in Europe this weekend and would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran tensions have shown signs of easing following the announcement that built on high-level discussions.
Trump Cancels Strikes on Iran
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he called off a plan for additional strikes on Iran. [2] He posted that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran had been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved. [2] Based on that approval, Trump stated he had cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening. [2] The announcement came after Trump highlighted that the United States had just made a great settlement of the war with Iran. [2] He added that discussions and final points had been approved in both concept and great detail by all parties involved. [2]
Deal Nears Final Stage
Trump said a peace agreement with Iran is in pretty final shape and could be signed in Europe this weekend. [2] He noted his understanding that Iran's top leader has approved it. [2] Trump made the remarks during a press availability at the White House. [2] He said the documents are in pretty final shape and should be done pretty quickly. [2] The president added that the time and place of the signing would be announced shortly. [3] Discussions had been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, according to Trump's statement. [2]
No-Nukes Pledge at Center
The most important paragraph to Trump is that Iran will in no way shape or form have a nuclear weapon or purchase a nuclear weapon. [2] President Donald Trump's demand that Iran permanently abandon any pursuit of nuclear weapons appears to be the central pillar of a peace agreement he said Thursday is moving into its final stages. [4] They have been working to narrow differences over US demands for Iran to abandon any pursuit of nuclear weapons and hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium. [2] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the Israeli leader spoke to Trump who vowed any memorandum of understanding would include the removal of Tehran's enriched nuclear material. [3]
Strait of Hormuz Developments
Iranian forces prevented a tanker from transiting the Strait of Hormuz without coordination, state media reported early on Friday. [1] The Strait of Hormuz will officially open as soon as the parties sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe. [2] The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect until the negotiations are finalized. [2] Iran has renewed its warnings over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil and gas transport that it has essentially closed since early in the war. [3] Iran's new body overseeing the strait said it will be closed until further notice. [3]
Iranian Response and Skepticism
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that Iran has not reached a final conclusion on the agreement. [3] The Tasnim news agency noted that Trump had announced a deal was imminent 38 times in the previous two months. [3] Until Iran announces the matter of a potential understanding, any news from Trump on this subject should be regarded the same as his previous messaging, the agency warned. [3] Iranian General Ali Abdollahi warned earlier in the day that if the United States attacked, it will receive a harsher response than before. [3] Civilians facing renewed strikes in Tehran were pessimistic, with one resident saying he is absolutely not optimistic about the agreement being finalized because the gap between the two countries is too wide. [3]
Market and Global Impact
Stocks surged and oil futures dropped more than three percent after Trump's optimistic announcement. [3] The World Bank earlier in the day revised down its global growth forecast to a level not seen since the coronavirus pandemic, warning of the expanding economic impacts of the war. [3] South Korea and other countries have been closely watching developments in the Middle East conflict, which has all but closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil, fertilizer and other commodities, and has pushed up oil prices. [2] Two dozen South Korean vessels still remain trapped in the strait. [2]
What to watch next: Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly, with the naval blockade remaining in full force and effect until the negotiations are finalized.
