Trump Says Iran Deal Could Be Signed by Monday After Brief Crisis in Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump told Channel 12 on Friday evening that he still believes a deal with Iran can be signed over the weekend or by Monday. His remarks came after a public dispute on Friday over Iranian media reports about the terms of the emerging agreement.

According to the reports in Iran, Tehran would receive billions of dollars in frozen funds abroad immediately upon signing. U.S. officials strongly denied that claim, saying Iran would not get any frozen money until it carried out the steps it had committed to under the deal. Trump was angered by the coverage, which also drew criticism inside the United States, and he issued a sharp statement against Iran.

Soon afterward, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi distanced himself from the media reports and said an agreement with Washington had never been closer. Trump said in the short interview that he had demanded such a clarification after the reports, warning the Iranians about the consequences if they did not correct the record. He said, “The Iranians apologized for putting out false information. The statement from the foreign minister was very positive,” and added that he shared Araghchi’s comments on Truth Social.

Trump also said Araghchi’s post on X was the most positive statement yet from Tehran about the chances of an accord in the coming days. The comments appeared aimed at preventing the talks from collapsing over the struggle between the two sides to shape the narrative around the deal.

A senior American official said Trump spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Thursday night and told him, “This is the deal, it is a great deal and it is time to end this war.” The official said Netanyahu had not been briefed in advance on Trump’s announcement the previous evening, was surprised by it, and did not argue much during the call. “Bibi did not say much in the conversation. He probably understood a deal was coming and that he could not stop it,” the official said.