Washington, May 24: The US and Iran have “largely negotiated” a peace pact to end the nearly three-month war, US President Donald Trump said, asserting that he has told the negotiators “not to rush into a deal” and that “both sides must take their time and get it right.”
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said negotiations between the US and Iran were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner,” but he told representatives “not to rush into a deal” and “that time is on our side.”
Trump said the US blockade of ships in the Strait of Hormuz “will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified and signed.”
“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes,” Trump said. He also invited Iran to join the Abraham Accords, which deal with establishing diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and Arab nations.
The Sunday morning remarks came a day after he announced on social media that the deal was “largely negotiated,” and that final aspects and details were being discussed and would be announced shortly.
Trump said on Saturday that he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Israel.
The US President was in the Oval Office late Saturday night and had even skipped his son Don Jr.’s wedding in the Bahamas.
“Our relationship with Iran is becoming a much more professional and productive one. They must understand, however, that they cannot develop or procure a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb,” he said on Sunday.
Trump also hit out at former President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and suggested that Iran could join the Abraham Accords.
“I would like to thank, thus far, all of the countries of the Middle East for their support and cooperation, which will be further enhanced and strengthened by their joining the Nations of the historic Abraham Accords and, who knows, perhaps the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to join, as well,” Trump said.
The US and Iran have agreed in principle to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz with a commitment from Iran to dispose of its highly enriched uranium, The New York Times reported quoting a US official.
The official said on Sunday that a deal has not yet been signed and is still subject to final approval from President Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader, which could take days.
The mechanism by which Iran will dispose of its highly enriched uranium is still being negotiated, the official said.
The deal does not address Iran’s missile stockpile, nor does it stipulate a moratorium on enrichment. The US official said those issues would be addressed in future negotiations.
In previous rounds of negotiations, the US sought at least a 20-year commitment.
The reports of the possible deal with Iran received mixed responses from leaders across the political aisle.
Congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, said on Sunday that he would support a short-term deal with Iran, but lamented that it had not happened already with a war powers measure to end the war.
“We would have avoided this war, food prices wouldn’t have gone up, gas prices wouldn’t have gone up,” Khanna said on NBC’s “Meet the Press”.
“Even when we don’t get a vote through, we do put pressure on the president. I’ve always said I would support a negotiated end to the war,” Khanna said.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, criticised the Trump administration’s reported attempts to negotiate a 60-day extension to the ceasefire with Iran.
He told CNN that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had assured members of Congress 11 weeks ago that “they had obliterated Iran’s defences.”
“Now we’re talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran? How does that make sense at all?” Tillis asked.
He also said it was “questionable” that Iran would end its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz before the terms of the deal were established.
“There are a lot of things that need to be explained,” he said.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said if, in fact, Arab and Muslim allies in the region agreed to join the Abraham Accords as a result of these negotiations to end the Iranian conflict, it would make this agreement one of the most consequential in the history of the Middle East.
“Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan joining the Abraham Accords would be beyond transformative for the region and world. It is a brilliant move by President Trump,” Graham said.
