Iran, Pakistani Prime Minister: ‘Agreement to be finalised within 24 hours’. But Tehran denies this

The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, has stated that the Tehran-Washington agreement will not be signed tomorrow. This has been reported by Iranian state media. Baghaei said that Iran must be cautious in commenting on the signing date due to the United States’ hesitations.

The memorandum of understanding currently being negotiated between Iran and the United States, with Pakistan acting as mediator, will not be signed tomorrow and does not, at present, address the nuclear issue. This was emphasised by the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ismail Baghaei, who explained that the immediate aim of the agreement is to consolidate the end of the conflict. Speaking in Hamedan, Baghaei – quoted by the IRNA news agency – stated that the document “is not a definitive agreement between Iran and the United States”, but an understanding that sets out the general principles for resolving existing disputes and establishing the cessation of hostilities. “Given previous experiences, the focus at this stage is on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and it has been decided not to discuss the nuclear issue,” the spokesperson said, confirming that the nuclear dossier will be addressed within the next 60 days.

To mark the anniversary of last year’s 12-day war, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the United States and Israel of targeting civilians and vowed that Tehran would stand firm on its position.

In a statement, Ghalibaf wrote: “They have killed innocent children and have stopped at nothing when it comes to committing crimes or acts of cruelty.”

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, has stated that he has held consultations with diplomats from Russia and China on the draft outline of a preliminary agreement with the United States.

“Today, at a joint meeting with the Russian and Chinese ambassadors in Tehran, there was a discussion and an exchange of views on the latest developments regarding the draft Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” Gharibabadi wrote on the social media platform X.

An oil tanker was struck by a projectile of unknown origin on the port side of the bow off the coast of Oman. This was reported by the UK Maritime Security Agency (UKMTO), which stated that the incident occurred yesterday, 6 nautical miles east of Oman. According to a statement from the UKMTO, the crew have been confirmed safe and no environmental impact has been reported, whilst the tanker has continued on to its destination port.

“We are closer than ever to a peace agreement. With finalisation expected within the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace agreement shortly afterwards, followed by technical-level talks next week.” The Prime Minister of Pakistan announced this on X. “We wish to thank the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran for their steadfast commitment throughout the negotiations, and we express our sincere appreciation to our brothers in the region for their support. We are confident that this historic peace agreement will form a solid foundation for lasting peace,” he added.

The conflict with Israel has caused an estimated $20 billion in damage to Lebanon’s economy and set back the country’s economic development. This was stated by Beirut’s Minister of the Economy, Amer Bisat, to Russian news agencies.

“The war has caused widespread destruction, particularly in the south of the country. The damage is estimated at around $20 billion,” said Bisat. In addition to the direct damage, the economy has suffered significant indirect losses, the minister added. The size of the Lebanese economy has almost halved compared to the pre-crisis period, falling from $55–57 billion to around $32 billion, he explained. “Due to the war, businesses and factories have closed and around 28 per cent of agricultural land has ceased production, whilst the tourism sector has been dealt a severe blow.”

The Iranian newspaper Khorasan, considered to be closer to the Revolutionary Guards, stated that a possible agreement between Tehran and Washington would merely delay what it described as the final showdown between Iran and the United States, rather than resolving the underlying conflict. Another Iranian newspaper, however, the conservative Javan, criticised the hardliners who reject any negotiations with the United States, stating that talks can be part of the same confrontation, rather than a retreat from it. Both reports are cited by Iran International. In a commentary, Khorasan writes that any agreement at this stage should be seen as a deal to end the ongoing war, not a solution to the main disputes between Tehran and Washington. In contrast, Javan, considered a conservative newspaper, stated that some critics ‘do not accept any discussion or negotiation’ and fail to understand that diplomacy can function as war or as its continuation.

The President of the Iranian Supreme Court, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, has stated that Iranians “have absolutely no trust in the Americans, and this mistrust stems from historical facts and events”. This was an allusion to last year’s 12-day war, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim. Mohseni-Ejei was part of the three-member transitional council tasked with leading Tehran after US and Israeli attacks assassinated Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the current war, 28 February. He also stated that, in the ongoing conflict, Iran has “managed to decapitate its enemies and cut off the hands of the aggressors”.

A Palestinian man was killed and two others were injured when an Israeli military drone struck a group of civilians near the entrance to the al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. This was reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

On Thursday evening, US President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “to tell him something he didn’t want to hear: he planned to sign an agreement with Iran within a few days. ‘This is the deal. It’s a great deal, and it’s time to end this war,’ Trump told Bibi, according to a senior US official. This is what Axios journalist Barak Ravid wrote in a social media post.

In recent weeks, Iran has drastically stepped up efforts to secure its uranium stockpile – which is now almost at weapons-grade levels – by deliberately collapsing tunnels and booby-trapping the entrances with explosive charges, according to five sources familiar with US intelligence. This is reported by CNN. Reaching the approximately half-tonne of highly enriched uranium is now much more difficult, dangerous and time-consuming than it was just a month ago, when President Donald Trump had publicly hinted that he might order the US military to seize it, the sources said.

The Israeli army has issued an order for the immediate evacuation of 20 villages in southern Lebanon. This was reported by Al Jazeera.

Americans could soon see a drop in the currently high energy prices if the conflict with Iran is resolved. Speaking on Fox News, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that a resolution could come as early as this weekend or early next week. ‘We’ll see: perhaps as early as this weekend or Monday we’ll have all this behind us. Energy prices will start to fall again,’ said Bessent.

A draft 14-point memorandum between the United States and Iran is said to outline the path towards an agreement on nuclear issues, sanctions and regional security. This was reported by Iranian media outlets close to Tehran’s negotiating team, who noted that the text is still being reviewed by the relevant authorities. Subsequently, President Trump stated that the terms of the agreement leaked by Iran do not correspond to those agreed upon.

According to the Iranian news agency Mehr, however, the agreement is said to provide for an immediate ceasefire on various regional fronts, including Lebanon, a commitment by the United States not to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs, and the withdrawal of US forces from areas near Iran.

Iran has launched “several one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz”, according to the US Central Command (Centcom). US forces “have shot them all down in the last few hours, whilst traffic through the Strait continues unhindered. The international trade corridor remains open to transit”, reads a post on X.

A breakthrough is within reach between the US and Iran following weeks of back-and-forth and denials. “A final, agreed text of the peace agreement has been reached,” the Pakistani Prime Minister announced this evening. According to rumours, the memorandum could be signed on Sunday in Geneva in the presence of Vance and Ghalibaf, but Tehran does not rule out that the agreement could be signed ‘remotely’ in the coming days and speaks of a mandatory toll at Hormuz. Trump puts the brakes on the conditions leaked by Iran: “Fake news, get back in line!” Then the attack on Europe and the G7: “Irrelevant, we won the war without their help.” Tweet from Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi: “Never so close, enough speculation now.” And the tycoon reposts it on Truth