Pakistan Says Iran-U.S. Deal Will Be Signed Online Tomorrow, But Tehran Denies It

Pakistan said an Iran-U.S. agreement is expected to be signed on Sunday in Islamabad in an online ceremony. Iran quickly rejected that account, saying no signing ceremony is planned for tomorrow and that no Iranian delegation is due to travel to Geneva, or anywhere else, in the coming days.

The conflicting statements have raised doubts about how far the talks have really advanced. At the same time, Iran is pressing a new demand that could complicate the negotiations further, saying it wants payment for services allegedly provided in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the Pars news agency that this would be part of the deal, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would collect “service fees” and declared, “These services will no longer be free.” He also said Iran and Oman are expected to announce a new mechanism for managing traffic in the strait soon.

Tehran also said the unfreezing of Iranian funds by the U.S. is an integral part of any agreement. Its foreign ministry added that foreign bases and military presence in the region must end, and that Iran will take steps for safe conduct in Hormuz in line with its national security and the broader interest of the international community.

The diplomatic push follows a tense sequence that began when President Donald Trump posted that the U.S. would hit Iran “very hard tonight.” That alarmed regional leaders, who then contacted him urgently, including Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Asim Munir. According to the report, they told Trump a framework deal was already on the table, leading him to cancel Pentagon attack plans and later say the U.S. had achieved a “great arrangement.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said that, in full coordination with Trump, Iran will not get nuclear weapons and that this would not happen as long as he remains prime minister.