Trump Says Iran Deal Could Be Signed Soon as Report Says Strikes Were Called Off

President Donald Trump said overnight Thursday to Friday at the White House that a deal with Iran could be signed as soon as this weekend in Europe. He said the signing would happen soon, with Vice President J.D. Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner expected to be present. Trump added that once the agreement is signed, the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz will be lifted.

Trump said he had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with leaders in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries, and that he would also speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He insisted that Iran would not get nuclear weapons in any form, saying, “They agreed to it. They will also not buy or develop nuclear weapons in any way.”

At the same time, Politico reported that leaders from the UAE, Qatar and Pakistan persuaded Trump to cancel planned strikes on Iran. According to the report, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, called Trump after his threats of powerful attacks on Iran and argued that a deal was near, which allegedly led to the cancellation.

A draft memorandum of understanding published overnight by the Saudi outlet Al Arabiya said the emerging framework would extend a ceasefire on all fronts for 60 days or more and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping within 30 days. Under the draft, Iran would be able to sell and export oil, and nuclear negotiations would continue. Netanyahu’s office said Trump spoke with him and that the prime minister thanked him for ensuring the final deal would include removal of enriched material, dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production and an end to Iran’s support for its regional terror proxies.