Trump Claims Iran Deal Near, Tehran Says Nothing Finalised
In a brief statement in the Oval Office on Thursday, US President Donald Trump declared that “we just made a great settlement of the war with Iran.” He added that a memorandum of understanding is in the “pretty final shape” and that the deal will be signed “pretty quickly.”
Despite Trump’s optimism, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei dismissed the claims, saying the reports were speculative and that nothing has been finalised. He noted that the text of the memorandum had largely been “finalised” but the US had made excessive demands.
Trump’s remarks come after the US and Israel launched a series of air strikes on Iran on 28 February, prompting Iranian attacks on Israeli and US‑allied Gulf states and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for global oil and liquefied natural gas.
In the days leading up to the Oval Office statement, Trump threatened to hit Iran “very hard tonight” and mentioned potential control over the oil and gas markets if sanctions were imposed. He also warned that the Strait would open “as soon as we have it signed.”
Iran’s military has warned that a further escalation would be “more severe than before,” while the US Central Command reported completing a wave of strikes targeting military, radar and surveillance sites in southern Iran. In retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck American bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, causing civilian casualties and damage.
The conflict’s volatility reached a new level when a US Apache helicopter crashed in the Gulf, and US forces shot down about twenty Iranian missiles. US forces have also fired on nine vessels so far, including three this week, in a blockade aimed at limiting Iranian oil exports.
International pressure is mounting for de-escalation. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called the ongoing escalation “deeply concerning,” while nations such as Pakistan, Russia, China, Turkey, India and Saudi Arabia urged parties to return to the ceasefire. Meanwhile, India has summoned a senior American diplomat after the US strike on a ship in the Gulf of Oman allegedly violated its blockade, killing three Indian sailors.
With Trump’s latest statements and Iran’s staunch denial, the diplomatic and military situation remains tinder‑box‑ready. The world watches closely as both sides weigh the costs of resolution against the risks of further conflict.
