Hopes of a breakthrough between Iran and the United States rose sharply Friday after President Donald Trump said a deal to end the war could be signed within days, even as Tehran publicly insisted that no final agreement had been reached, underscoring how fragile and contested the diplomatic push remains.
The possible accord would represent the most significant political development since the outbreak of a three-month conflict that has killed thousands, destabilized the Middle East, and shaken global energy markets, largely due to disruptions in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a major share of the world’s oil supply flows.
Trump told reporters at the White House that negotiations had reached what he described as a final conceptual understanding, adding that signing could take place “very soon,” possibly over the weekend in Europe, with Vice President JD Vance expected to be present. He said the framework had already been reviewed at the highest levels of Iranian leadership and suggested approval was effectively secured, though no Iranian authority has confirmed that claim.
“I understand the answer is yes,” Trump said when asked whether Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had signed off, a statement that immediately heightened expectations but also drew skepticism given the absence of official confirmation from Tehran.
