Trump says peace deal with Iran largely reached with strait of Hormuz to open

Donald Trump announced on Saturday that a peace deal with Iran “has been largely negotiated”, after calls with a Pakistani mediator, Gulf allies and Israel, potentially paving the way for an end to the war launched by the US and Israel in February. Trump wrote on his social media platform that “final aspects and details” of a “Memorandum of Understanding” are still being discussed, and “will be announced shortly” but said the strait of Hormuz will be opened as part of the deal. “An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran , and the various other Countries,” Trump posted. The announcement came after a Pakistani source told Reuters that Iran and Pakistan had submitted a revised proposal to the United States to end the war and reopen the strait of Hormuz. A regional official with direct knowledge of the Pakistan-led mediation efforts told the Associated Press earlier on Saturday that the potential deal would include an official declaration of the war’s end, with two-month negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, the opening of the crucial shipping lane by Iran and an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports. There had been hints before the announcement that indirect talks between the US and Iran had progressed in the past few days. Marco Rubio , the US secretary of state, said during a visit to India that “news” might arrive “later today”, even as Trump continued to threaten striking Iran. …