U.S. president says deal will be finalized Saturday; Tehran signals signing could occur within days. Strait of Hormuz to open to all traffic.
10:09 PM
Donald Trump announced Saturday that a U.S.-Iran accord is set to be signed, stating on Truth Social that the agreement "should be signed tomorrow" and that the Strait of Hormuz will be "OPEN TO ALL" immediately following the signing.
Trump, who turned 80 on Saturday, characterized the agreement as fundamentally different from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated under the Obama administration. "The agreement of Barack Hussein Obama with Iran, the JCPOA, was an easy, smooth path toward a nuclear weapon, which Iran would have had six years ago and would have used much sooner," Trump wrote. "My agreement with Iran is the exact opposite: A WALL WITHOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS!"
Trump elaborated on the terms, stating that Iran no longer wants a nuclear weapon and will not obtain one "through purchase, development, or any other way." He added that the U.S. relationship with Iran under the new accord differs from those maintained by previous administrations.
Iranian officials offered a different timeline. Tehran indicated the accord could be signed "in the coming days" rather than immediately, according to reports citing Iranian statements. Pakistani officials said the text of the agreement had been finalized.
The announcement came amid ongoing military tensions in the region. In northern Israel, the city of Metulla, located on the border with Lebanon, activated missile and rocket alerts Saturday evening. Israeli Defense Forces said launches from Lebanon toward communities on the front line had been detected, according to Ynet.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the emerging accord on social media, stating it fails to achieve the objectives of the war. "The regime survives, the missile program remains active and Iran can rebuild its nuclear program," Lapid wrote. "This is a total failure by Netanyahu, and it transforms us into a client state receiving instructions on national security matters," he added.
An Israeli airstrike killed two people in the al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Saturday evening, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet reported that a child was among the wounded in the strike.
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