Day 106 | White House signals optimism on potential Iran agreement but key questions remain
The White House is expressing optimism about the prospects of a new agreement between the United States and Iran, saying recent negotiations have produced progress on some of the most difficult issues, including the future of Iran’s nuclear program. US officials believe the proposed framework could gain support from both Iranian leadership and Israel if finalized.
However, uncertainty remains over several key aspects of the talks. US President Donald Trump criticized Iranian state media reports on Friday for presenting terms that differed from Washington’s description of the potential agreement, raising fresh questions about the status of negotiations. While it remains unclear whether Iran’s supreme leader has formally approved the framework, signals from Iran’s Foreign Ministry suggest that an understanding may be within reach.
According to a US official, the signing of a memorandum of understanding would launch an additional 60 days of technical negotiations focused on implementation details and unresolved issues. Sources familiar with the discussions said a signing ceremony could take place in Switzerland in the coming days, although Iran’s foreign minister indicated that any formal signing could also be conducted remotely.
Iranian official says joint statement with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz coming “soon”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Friday evening that a statement with regards to future control of the Strait of Hormuz should be expected “soon.”
Araghchi told the Iranian state television that the statement will be jointly released with the Omani government, per the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA). The Strait of Hormuz is situated between Iranian and Omani territory.
The comments come as a purported framework of a US-Iran deal is said to be finalized, with its signing expected in the coming days. US officials have outlined several of the points laid out in the memorandum of understanding, including a complete reopening of the strait and lifting of a US blockade on Iranian ports along the strait.
Araghchi said that, under the agreement, the waterway would not return to how it operated before the war.
He added that the regime would not charge tolls but “service fees” for transiting the strait.
UAE denies reports of releasing frozen Iranian assets
The United Arab Emirates has denied reports claiming it released frozen Iranian assets, saying the allegations are inaccurate and not based on facts.
In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry said no frozen Iranian funds had been released or transferred through the country. It also urged media outlets to verify information and rely on official sources.
The denial came after Reuters reported, citing two regional sources, that the UAE had approved the release of $10 billion in frozen Iranian assets. The report said more than $3 billion had already been transferred as part of discussions between officials from the two countries.
The UAE rejected the claims, insisting that no such transfers had taken place.
Trump tells Netanyahu Iran deal could be signed within days: Axios
US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call last Thursday that a potential agreement with Iran was "great" and that the time had come to end the conflict, according to a US official cited by Axios.
The official said Trump told Netanyahu he expected a deal with Iran to be reached within days. Netanyahu, in turn, expressed confidence that Trump would address shared concerns over Iran's nuclear program.
The official also said Netanyahu was surprised by Trump's social media post on Thursday announcing that an agreement had been reached with Iran.
According to the report, Netanyahu appeared to recognize during the conversation that he could not prevent Trump from moving forward with a deal with Tehran.
France voices cautious optimism on US-Iran deal
France has expressed cautious optimism about the prospects of a deal between the United States and Iran, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot saying he believes both sides have a genuine desire to reach an agreement.
In an interview with French broadcaster LCI, Barrot said France is encouraging Washington and Tehran to take advantage of the opportunity to resolve what he described as an untenable situation that produces only losers.
The French minister added that he delivered the same message directly to his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, during a phone call on Friday morning.
Barrot said he remains cautiously optimistic about the chances of an agreement, as diplomatic efforts continue to bridge differences between the United States and Iran on key issues.
Day 105 of the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran
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Read more: Day 105 | Trump says the war with Iran ended today
