DUBAI/WASHINGTON/PARIS: Leaked details of a proposed agreement to end the war in the Gulf, shared by Western, Pakistani, and Iranian sources on Friday, appeared to favor Iran, drawing criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said the reports were inaccurate.
Different versions of the agreement were given to Reuters by Western officials, Pakistani mediators, and senior Iranian sources. Similar drafts were also published in Iranian media.
All sources said the agreement is not final yet. One major issue still under discussion is the wording of the call to stop the fighting in Lebanon. Iran wants Israel to end its attacks on Hezbollah, its ally.
Although there were small differences between the versions, they mostly accepted Iran’s main demands after months of talks, while omitting key U.S. demands.
In a social media post, Trump did not explain what was wrong in the reports but said the leaked terms had “nothing to do” with the actual written agreement. He also called the Iranians “very dishonorable.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the agreement was “very close” but warned people not to speculate about its details before it is finalized.
A senior U.S. official described terms that were not included in the leaked texts, such as destroying Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
According to the versions seen by Reuters, the United States would quickly release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds and lift sanctions on Iran’s oil exports. In return, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has mostly been blocked since the war began.
Talks about Iran’s nuclear program would be delayed for 60 days while both sides work toward a final agreement. For now, the only mention of nuclear policy is Iran’s promise not to seek nuclear weapons, which it has maintained since joining the U.N. Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1970.
Major U.S. concessions in the deal include discussing hundreds of billions of dollars in possible war compensation for Iran and dropping long-standing demands to limit Iran’s missile program.
The U.S. has earlier demanded that Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, but this is not mentioned in the current drafts. Sources said this demand has been set aside for now.
However, the U.S. official said the uranium stockpile would eventually be destroyed and removed, and Iran’s nuclear program would be dismantled.
The official also said that Iran would only receive money after meeting its obligations, the Strait of Hormuz would stay open, and Iran would stop funding militant groups.
A Western source said the agreement could be signed as early as Sunday if the remaining issues are settled. It may be signed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, likely in Geneva.
Vance said the deal is designed so that Iran will receive economic benefits only if it adheres to its terms.
Israel, which is involved in the war with the U.S., has not taken part in the talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not join the agreement.
