*Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, to be buried July 9
Festus Akanbi
United States President, Mr. Donald Trump, has declared that a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran is expected to be signed today.Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, whose government has mediated between Iran and the US to end their war, also confirmed yesterday that a peace deal would “likely” be finalised within 24 hours.
This is as Iran yesterday said its former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for nearly 37 years before being killed by Israeli and US airstrikes on February 28, would be buried on July 9.However, Trump and Sharif’s claim contradicted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, who dismissed reports that a memorandum of understanding would be signed today, stressing that negotiators were not preparing to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, for any such ceremony.
Other Iranian officials also insisted negotiations were still ongoing.But Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform yesterday, expressed confidence that the long-anticipated breakthrough would be formalised within 24 hours, signaling what could be a major diplomatic turning point after months of escalating hostilities and failed negotiations.
