Residents swim and play in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz while cargo ships and commercial vessels lie anchored in the distance off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Razieh Poudat/ISNA via AP
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Razieh Poudat/ISNA via AP
On Saturday, progress seemed to be made toward a resolution to the conflict in Iran, with the U.S. and mediator Pakistan suggesting that an agreement might be reached by Sunday. However, Iran expressed skepticism about this timeline.
President Trump, who has frequently claimed that an agreement is near, announced on Saturday via Truth Social that a deal was set to be signed on Sunday. He added that the strategic Strait of Hormuz, vital for oil and gas transport, would reopen shortly thereafter.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, expressed doubts about a quick resolution, telling state media on Saturday, “It will not be tomorrow.” However, he mentioned that a deal in the coming days is still a possibility.
Pakistan also indicated progress, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stating in a post on X that a peace deal was closer than ever. He anticipated a finalized agreement within the next 24 hours, to be signed electronically by both parties, followed by technical discussions the following week.
Sharif expressed confidence that this historic peace deal would lay the groundwork for lasting peace. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted on X that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer to completion.
On Saturday, Trump stated that the agreement would eliminate Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, which could potentially be used for nuclear weapons. However, details of the agreement remain unclear.
In a social media post, Trump mentioned plans to destroy the stockpile, saying, “At the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust, buried deep under the powerful sunken granite mountains, thanks to our beautiful B-2 Bombers and their brilliant pilots, and downblend and destroy it, whether in Iran, or the United States.”
Trump added a vague warning: “Hopefully, this process will all work out quickly, easily, and smoothly. If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!”
This statement is yet another example of Trump’s oscillation between promises of peace and threats against Iran. On Thursday, he mentioned calling off planned strikes on Iran because discussions had reached the highest level of Iranian leadership and received approval, as stated on Truth Social.
The Group of Seven summit is set to begin on Monday, where Trump is expected to address demining the Strait of Hormuz. An anonymous senior U.S. official, under White House rules, said Trump plans to meet on the G7 sidelines with leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to discuss ending the conflict.
Britain and France, members of the G7, have shown interest in assisting with demining after the conflict pauses. The exact number of mines in the strait, which Iran has controlled since the war’s early days, is unknown. This control has effectively halted oil and gas shipments from the Persian Gulf, leading the U.S. to blockade Iranian ports in response.
Trump also stated on social media Thursday that “The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.”
A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 7.
NPR’s Carrie Kahn contributed to this story.
