A deal with the United States to end the war in Iran is close and would reopen the Strait of Hormuz alongside the lifting of the US naval blockade, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told state television, as a senior adviser to the supreme leader claimed President Donald Trump had separately agreed to unfreeze $24 billion in Iranian assets without formally announcing it.
Araghchi said in the Saturday briefing that the talks on Iran’s nuclear programme would begin only after the agreement was signed, and that the first point listed in the Memorandum of Understanding was the lifting of the US naval blockade. The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally transits — would “no longer be the same as before”, he said, with administration arrangements to follow. Iran has insisted on a transit fee for vessels crossing since it closed the Strait, while Washington has insisted passage remain free, Ada Derana reported, citing BBC.
The foreign minister acknowledged the deal still faces internal Iranian dissent. “There are supporters and opponents” of the terms inside Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, he said, adding that a collective decision had not yet been reached. “For now, we must wait. If approved, the agreement will be signed remotely … This could happen in the coming days. I am very hopeful.” Pakistan, which has helped mediate the talks throughout the war, said the MOU had been agreed and was awaiting finalisation, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirming the framework on Friday. Qatar has also assisted with mediation.
US officials briefing journalists on Friday afternoon said the Hormuz reopening and blockade lift would take effect “more or less immediately” after signing, followed by a 60-day window of negotiation focused on Iran’s enriched uranium. That material would ultimately be destroyed on site and removed from the country, with the precise mechanism still to be worked out. Officials stressed there would be no upfront payment to Tehran — instead, a “staged reintegration” into the global economy with sanctions lifted and assets unfrozen incrementally, tied to verified performance on the deal’s terms, including a halt to Iranian funding for Hezbollah and other regional proxies.
In a parallel briefing carried by the Anadolu Agency, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, told a memorial ceremony in the south-western city of Dezful that Trump had agreed to unfreeze $24 billion in Iranian assets while avoiding an explicit confirmation, according to a report by the Fars News Agency. Rezaei claimed Iran’s recent conflict had “boosted” the country’s global standing and that “Trump the gambler” now feared negotiating with Tehran. A senior Trump administration official told reporters Friday the United States expected to sign an agreement ending the war “within the next few days”, leading to the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme.
The Saturday signals come a day after Trump told reporters at the Oval Office “we just made a great settlement”, with Iran’s spokesperson Esmail Baghaei calling the early reports “speculative” but acknowledging the memorandum had “never been closer”. Brent crude has plunged on the signing prospect after the rolling US-Iran exchange of fire this week, when Trump first cancelled scheduled strikes and announced the settlement framework. Reuters separately reported Friday that the document could be signed as soon as Sunday in Geneva, with Vice President JD Vance representing Washington alongside Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf.
Israel is not party to the memorandum, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office acknowledged Trump’s commitment to a final agreement covering enriched-material removal, dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, missile-production limits and a cessation of Iran’s regional proxy support. The US officials emphasised the MOU was based on “performance”, not “trust or promises” — Iran would only receive economic benefits after verified compliance with its commitments.
Sources: Deal to end fighting would lead to Hormuz reopening, Iran says — Ada Derana / BBC, June 13; Trump agreed to release $24B in frozen Iranian assets without formal announcement: Report — Ada Derana / Anadolu, June 13.
