A deal in the next 24 hours? That is what Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says is expected, with “the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical-level talks next week”.
“We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace,” he writes on X.
A statement swiftly countered by Iranian Foreign Minister's spokesperson, Esmael Baghaei on X, who said the "signing will not be tomorrow", but that an agreement in the coming days "must not be ruled out".
Despite initial reports that the agreement would be signed in Europe – most likely during the G7 summit in Evian, France – Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, says the deal could instead be signed “digitally and remotely” in an interview with Iranian state television on Friday. He also says an agreement between the US and Iran has “never been closer”.
The optimism is echoed by US President Donald Trump, who tells reporters that “we just made a great settlement of the war with Iran, and we’re going to be subject to finalisation of documents, which should get done over the next few days”.
A senior US official says the emerging deal to end the conflict includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme. It also involves the transfer of enriched uranium out of Iran for destruction, alongside an international inspection regime, the official adds.
Critical points
Iran insists that Lebanon be included in the memorandum of understanding and has repeatedly opposed any agreement that excludes it. That position is swiftly rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been largely sidelined in the negotiations.
The American news outlet Axios reports that the memorandum would extend the ceasefire by 60 days and include Lebanon. That claim is echoed by Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, who says in an interview with Al Jazeera that the inclusion had been “clearly communicated by Iran” to him.
Another key issue is Iran’s enriched uranium programme, which Tehran maintains is strictly for civilian purposes.
The talks come eight years after Mr Trump abandoned the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), arguing that it was too weak and failed to curb Iran’s regional influence.
US sources say the draft agreement includes the removal of enriched nuclear material from Iran, in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions. Other reports suggest the memorandum would create a 60-day window to allow both sides to negotiate the future of Iran’s uranium enrichment programme.
Iran’s ballistic missile programme is not included in the agreement, Iranian state-affiliated Mehr News Agency reports, citing sources close to the negotiations.
Fragile final hours
Overnight, US forces shot down Iranian one-way attack drones heading towards the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media report the drones were “warning shots without Iran’s co-ordination and permission”, while US officials say all incoming drones are intercepted.
In Lebanon, Israel issues forced displacement orders for 20 towns in the south and east of the country, followed by a series of strikes that leave casualties, including the mayor of Al Rayhan, Ali Badie, near Jezzine.
Mr Araghchi said that while changes in the deal were still possible, the tentative agreement showed his country had emerged stronger from the conflict. “Iran is the winner of the war with the US,” he said on state television.
Iran is preparing for the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 4, with his burial scheduled for July 9.
