People from Tehran province gathered in support of the new leader, Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, at Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, on 12 June 2026. A preliminary peace deal could be signed within days, according to the US, Iran, and mediators, potentially ending the three-month war in the Middle East. However, conflicting timelines and versions of the text have emerged.
Pakistan PM Announces Electronic Signing
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, stated on Saturday that Islamabad is preparing for an electronic signing within 24 hours, followed by technical-level talks next week. "We are closer to a peace deal than ever before… we are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace," Sharif wrote on social media.
Iran Urges Caution
Esmaeil Baghaei, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, urged caution, saying, "We will have to wait and see about the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow. The possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out."
Recent days have seen the most intense clashes between Iran, Israel, and the US since a ceasefire in April. Donald Trump threatened to seize Iran's Kharg Island oil terminal and launch new attacks, then claimed a diplomatic breakthrough, stating that a draft deal had been "approved" by "the highest level of Iranian leadership." During the conflict, Trump has claimed about 40 times that a deal was imminent, only to revert to threats.
Conflicting Claims of Victory
Officials from both the US and Iran are framing the possible deal as a victory, claiming major concessions from their enemies. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on state television, "Iran is the winner of the war with the US." Hours later, US forces shot down several Iranian attack drones heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway closed to most shipping since the conflict began.
The proposed deal includes reopening the Strait and lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports. Negotiations over Iran's nuclear program would follow. Trump dismissed a report on the draft deal by Iran's Mehr news agency as bearing "no relation to the truth."
Details of the Draft Agreement
According to Mehr and Iranian officials, the agreement would end conflict on all fronts, including Lebanon, and ensure the release of $24bn of Iran's frozen assets. It would set a 60-day period for nuclear negotiations, suspend sanctions on Iran's oil and petrochemical sales, allow Iran to levy service charges on Strait of Hormuz passage, and lift the US naval blockade since 13 April.
US officials countered that the agreement stipulates destruction of Iran's nuclear material and dismantlement of its nuclear program, with no frozen funds released until demands are met, and an end to Iran's support for allied militant movements. A US official said the deal meets Trump's core objectives and puts negotiations "in a very, very good place."
Israeli Concerns
The apparent deal has caused consternation in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clashed with Trump over US demands to curb military action in Lebanon. Israeli forces carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday and issued evacuation warnings for Nabatieh and over 20 other locations.
