President Donald Trump revealed the Iranian peace agreement is ‘largely negotiated’ after a ‘very good call’ with world leaders, but final hurdles have yet to be cleared.
The 79-year-old took to Truth Social at 4.30pm Saturday and announced his call with Gulf leaders went well and said a deal has mostly been negotiated, but is ‘subject to finalization’ between the US and Iran and mediators.
He also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which he said also went ‘very well.’
‘Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,’ he wrote.
‘In addition to many other elements of the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.’
The announcement came just hours after Vice President JD Vance rushed back to the White House ahead of the crucial phone call with war negotiators, as President Donald Trump said he was 50/50 on agreeing to a peace deal or ‘blowing Iran to kingdom come.’
Video shared on social media showed the armored motorcade racing down a Washington DC highway with a police escort as the VP’s Memorial Day weekend was cut short.
Trump also skipped his son Don Jr’s wedding, citing ‘circumstances pertaining to government,’ and summoned his national security team to attend the meeting this afternoon.
President Donald Trump released a map showing Iran as the United States of the Middle East as peace talks continue
JD Vance was seen rushing back to the White House on Saturday in video shared to social media
Sources told Reuters earlier on Saturday that the peace deal would unfold in three stages: Formally ending the war, resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and launching a 30-day window for a broader agreement.
Two Pakistani sources involved in negotiations said earlier that the deal being negotiated is ‘fairly comprehensive to terminate the war.’
One of the Pakistani sources said there was no guarantee the US would accept the memorandum. If the US and Iran agree, the memorandum of understanding would lead to further talks after the Eid holiday ends on Friday.
An Arab official told Reuters that Trump would hold a phone call on Saturday with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.
Pakistan’s mediation push aims to narrow differences between Iran and the US after weeks of war that have left the vital Hormuz waterway closed to most shipping despite a nervous ceasefire, upending global energy markets.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeated Trump’s demands: ‘Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The straits need to be open without tolls. They need to turn over their enriched uranium.’
Speaking from India earlier today, Rubio said: ‘There may be news later today… This issue needs to be solved.’
Earlier on Saturday, Trump mocked the war-torn country by sharing a map of the Middle East showing Iran filled in with an American flag, titling it the United States of the Middle East?
Trump said in a post that he had a ‘very good call’ with Gulf leaders and the agreement would be decided soon
An armored motorcade believed to be escorting Vance was seen racing down a Washington DC highway, escorted by police
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The president had told Axios on Saturday morning that he was a ‘solid 50/50’ on whether or not he would take the latest peace deal or ‘blow them to kingdom come,’ the outlet reported.
‘I think one of two things will happen: Either I hit them harder than they have ever been hit, or we are going to sign a deal that is good,’ Trump said.
‘Some people would much rather have a deal and others would rather resume the war.’
According to two officials and a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity to Reuters, there is hope that a final decision on the Pakistan-prepared draft for the deal could come within 48 hours as both sides review it.
They said US Vice President JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner played significant roles in helping bridge remaining gaps, and that Qatar played a key role by sending a senior official to Tehran to support Pakistan’s mediation efforts.
Still, both Iran and the US emphasized their key positions and have warned of the risks of resuming attacks.
Iran state TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as describing the draft as a ‘framework agreement’ and adding: ‘We want this to include the main issues required for ending the imposed war and other issues of essential importance to us.
‘Then, over a reasonable time span, between 30 to 60 days, details are discussed, and ultimately a final agreement is reached.’
In another jest to the Middle Eastern country, the map showed Iran colored in with an American flag
The war on Iran has gone mostly quiet since early April, when a temporary ceasefire was agreed, but they have yet to produce a more lasting peace.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there has been ‘slight progress’ in peace talks, just days after Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because ‘serious negotiations’ were underway.
Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking, such as an agreement.
Rubio said he did not want to exaggerate the progress, saying there had been ‘a little bit of movement and that’s good.’
Repeated claims of progress have emerged in recent weeks, but a deal has stayed out of reach.
Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. But he has also previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to play out, only to turn around and launch strikes.
A former top-ranking Navy commander revealed on Friday that he believed Trump was preparing the military for renewed combat operations in Iran.
Smoke rises from Southern Lebanon on Saturday after Israel issued strikes. Secretary of State Macro Rubio has said a little process has been made in the peace talks, as Trump is rumored to be preparing more strikes
Men inspect damage in Lebanon on Saturday. Trump reportedly canceled his Memorial Day plans – including attending his son’s wedding – to deal with the Iranian conflict
Retired US Navy Commander Kirk Lippold told Fox News on Friday night that he believes renewed combat operations are on the horizon, defiantly declaring that ‘it’s a matter of not if, but when.’
‘President Trump right now, I think, is giving the United States military that opportunity – to rearm, refuel and be ready for combat operations,’ he said.
Lippold said that Admiral Cooper, the senior US military officer overseeing the Iran War, has briefed Trump, signaling the potential renewal of military strikes.
‘At the end of the day, I think that the Iranians understand that we are going to now take down their economy and potentially take down their economic future,’ he continued.
‘And what we need to do is create the conditions for the Iranian people to once again rise up.’
On late Friday, the president also made clear again his intention to take over Greenland, by sharing an AI-generated image of him peeking over the mountains in the country with the caption: ‘Hello, Greenland.’ He reshared it again on Saturday.
The first post came just hours after the US’ special envoy to Greenland was met with furious protesters when he arrived to open a new American consulate on the island.
He also took to social media to infuriate Greenland again as Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry arrived to the island to open a new American consulate on the island on Thursday
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry received a frosty reception in downtown Nuuk on Thursday, as more than 500 Greenlanders marched through the capital Nuuk waving red-and-white Greenlandic flags and holding signs reading ‘Go Home USA,’ ‘Make America Go Away!’ and ‘We are not for sale.’
‘Greenland belongs to us. It’s our country. It doesn’t belong to Denmark or the United States. We are a people and we live here,’ Greenland resident Grethe Kramer Berthelsen told the AFP during the rally.
He also posted an AI photo showing a ‘golden dome’ over the White House to keep it protected from any future attacks.
The Golden Dome is Trump’s version of Israel’s Iron Dome, a military defense mechanism.
Trump also posted an AI photo of Chinese citizens smiling happily and waving Chinese and American flags with the words: China Loves Trump.
