Trump claims Sunday signing for US-Iran ceasefire extension; Tehran disputes timeline

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a memorandum of understanding to halt the US Iran war would be signed the next day, with the Strait of Hormuz reopening to shipping immediately afterward. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed the timeline, saying negotiators were preparing for an electronic signing within 24 hours. Iranian officials pushed back hard, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stating the signing would not occur on Sunday and that political and legal reviews remained incomplete.

The proposed agreement would extend the current ceasefire for 60 days while leaving the core disputes over Iran's nuclear program and frozen assets for later talks. Trump described the pact as opening a path to remove enriched uranium stockpiles once calm returns, though he warned of an unspecified alternative if progress stalls. Iranian state media reported that the document includes 14 points, starting with the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports and a commitment to end fighting across fronts including Lebanon.

Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran on Sunday to finalize details, according to regional officials speaking on condition of anonymity. Those same officials expressed guarded hope that the deal could stabilize energy markets disrupted by the conflict's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The war, now past its 106th day, has already killed thousands and contributed to a worldwide energy squeeze that has darkened economic forecasts.

Fighting in Lebanon continued despite the talks. Israeli forces struck Beirut suburbs targeting Hezbollah positions after projectiles landed in northern Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office framed the strikes as direct responses to those attacks. Iran has pushed for any US agreement to encompass the Lebanon front, a demand that has left the Israeli government sidelined from the Pakistan and Qatar led negotiations.

Trump's statements on Truth Social emphasized immediate practical gains for global shipping once signatures are secured. Iranian caution appears rooted in ongoing internal reviews, with one source close to Tehran's team noting that no final decision has been reached. The gap in timelines has raised questions about whether the electronic signing can proceed as Trump described or will slip into the coming days as Baghdad officials have suggested.

The memorandum does not resolve long standing issues such as Iran's nuclear ambitions, which Western governments have long suspected aim at weapons development. Tehran maintains its program serves civilian power and research needs. Regional officials indicated the current framework serves mainly as a temporary bridge, buying time for technical discussions on those harder questions while halting active hostilities.