Trump Hails Near-Complete Iran Deal as Tehran Plays It Down

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had “just made a great deal with Iran,” speaking from the Oval Office about three hours before his military was due to strike targets in Iran. But he also said the paperwork still needed to be completed and that signing was expected “in the coming days,” possibly even in Europe, leaving the impression of an agreement that is not yet finalized.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry offered a more cautious account. It said most clauses had already been settled in earlier rounds, but accused Washington of adding new demands. Tehran stressed that its leaders still need to discuss all the terms before issuing an official position, and dismissed Trump’s claims about the place and timing of a signature as “media speculation.”

Trump also portrayed the deal as part of a broader regional alignment. He said he had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with leaders in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, and said he would also speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He added praise for Pakistan and its leadership, presenting the effort as more than a bilateral U.S.-Iran understanding.

Despite his repeated use of phrases like “soon,” “very soon” and “maybe by the weekend,” Trump declined to set a firm deadline, saying he did not want to be blamed if it slipped. He has also linked the diplomacy to pressure, after recently threatening further strikes on Iran following the downing of an American Apache helicopter and claiming U.S. attacks had badly damaged Iran’s military capabilities. He said the goal was to ensure Iran would “never” have nuclear weapons.

In Israel, officials said they were not aware of a deal that was on the verge of signing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he welcomed Trump’s commitment that any final agreement would include removal of enriched material, dismantling enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production and an end to Iran’s support for regional terror proxies.