Trump says Iran deal is close; Tehran says nothing finalised

US President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that an initial agreement aimed at ending the conflict with Iran was nearing completion, saying a “great settlement” had been reached, though Tehran insisted that no final deal had been concluded.

“We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that the agreement would ensure that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”

The remarks came hours after Trump had warned that the United States would strike Iran “very hard,” underscoring the mixed signals that have characterised his administration’s messaging on the conflict.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, dismissed reports of a breakthrough as “speculative” and said that “nothing has been finalised.” Speaking to state television, he said most of the text of a proposed memorandum of understanding had already been drafted but accused Washington of making “excessive demands” and introducing “new requests.”

Baghaei maintained that Iran would not move beyond its “red lines.”

Trump said the documents were in “pretty final shape” and suggested there would “probably be a signing, maybe in Europe” once the details were completed. “It should be done pretty quickly,” he said.

He also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, would reopen “as soon as we have it signed.”

The United States and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran responded by targeting Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting energy markets and regional stability.

Although the two sides agreed to a ceasefire in April, intermittent exchanges of fire have continued, including two rounds of tit-for-tat strikes this week.

Trump said he had spoken with leaders across the region, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and claimed that “the whole Middle East is very happy.”

Netanyahu’s office confirmed the conversation but said Israel “is not a party to the memorandum of understanding.” The statement added that the Israeli leader welcomed Trump’s efforts toward a final agreement that would include the removal of enriched material, dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production and an end to Iran’s support for militant proxies in the region.

Markets reacted positively to Trump’s comments, with Brent crude prices falling 4.4% to around $89 a barrel amid hopes of easing tensions and the reopening of key shipping routes.

Trump has repeatedly suggested that a deal with Iran was imminent, but previous timelines have failed to produce a formal agreement.