Updated
May 23, 2026, 5:28 p.m. ET
President Trump said on Saturday that the United States was close to reaching an agreement with Iran toward ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr. Trump provided few details about the preliminary agreement, which he said was “largely negotiated.” There was no immediate confirmation from Iran or Israel. It is unclear if the latest negotiations were just about extending the current cease-fire or reaching a more permanent peace.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump said he had spoken by phone with several Arab leaders about a memorandum of understanding “pertaining to PEACE.” He said the agreement was “subject to finalization” by the United States, Iran and other countries.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” he wrote.
The announcement followed a wave of last-ditch diplomatic efforts to stave off a return to full-scale war, with Pakistani and Qatari mediators traveling to Iran, and Mr. Trump’s call with Middle Eastern leaders. Mr. Trump also said he had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, whose country joined the initial attack in late February that launched the war.
Earlier Saturday, Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Washington and Tehran were in the “final stage” of drafting a memorandum of understanding, a framework that he said would most likely push discussion of Iran’s nuclear program, a sticking point in negotiations, to a later stage.
“The positions of the two sides are becoming closer,” said Mr. Baghaei, in comments carried by Iranian state media. “We may be able to reach a mutually acceptable solution.”
The United States, Israel and Iran agreed to a cease-fire in early April after more than a month of war. The truce was intended to allow talks on Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil and gas shipping that Iran has effectively closed since the early days of the war, driving energy prices worldwide to soar.
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