The US and Iran are expected to announce the finalization of a draft proposal of a peace deal to end the fighting on all fronts by Sunday afternoon, a source close to the negotiations told The Washington Times.
A draft proposal was agreed to early Saturday and expected to be announced within 24 hours, the source said.
Top negotiators, including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalifbaf, Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, have approved the draft.
The draft version of the peace deal has been sent to leaders of both nations for final approval.
If successful, the deal would transform what has been a fragile six-week truce into a permanent peace, even as Mr. Trump has hinted fresh strikes would be possible.
Details of the potential ceasefire agreement remain elusive. It’s unclear how key differences, including the fate of Iran’s nuclear program and its request for sanctions relief, will be resolved. The two sides also need to agree on how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely shuttered since the war started on Feb. 28.
Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks in Iran to narrow the differences between the US and Iran after weeks of war left the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for moving goods out of the Middle East, closed to most shipping. About 20% of the world’s oil moves through the strait, and its closure has upended global energy markets.
A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran as part of the last diplomatic engagements to push the finalized deal across the finish line.
Mr Munir, who served as the chief mediator in the talks, held multiple meetings to ensure the draft could be finalized and sent to leadership, the source told The Times.
The White House declined to comment.
In Washington, signs suggested a breakthrough. Mr. Vance made an unplanned return from Ohio, and Mr. Trump was expected to hold a conference call with Middle East leaders after convening his national security team at the White House. Iran said publicly on Saturday that a peace deal was progressing and that differences will be hammered out at a later stage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has hinted that a resolution could be near, while Mr. Trump told Axios on Saturday that it was “50-50” on whether the sides could reach a deal.
The president said if a deal couldn’t be reached, he’d blow Iran “to kingdom come.” He added that he will meet with his top negotiators later Saturday and will have a decision by Sunday.
The president has veered between pushing for a peace deal and ordering a fresh round of strikes. At a New York rally on Friday, he said the war will be over “soon” and “oil prices are going to tumble as soon as I finish up with Iran.”
“The final draft of an agreement text between Iran and the US is still under review,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said, according to Iranian state TV. “Over the past week, the process has been moving towards convergence of views.”