US and Iran are close to a deal to end their war, officials say

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United States and Iran are adjacent to signing an statement aimed astatine ending their war, 3 determination officials told The Associated Press connected Friday. A elder U.S. authoritative said the tentative woody includes presumption for removing and destroying atomic worldly from Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted Friday connected X that an statement “has ne'er been closer.” He gave nary details, saying a last woody was inactive pending.

The evident breakthrough successful negotiations comes aft Iran exchanged occurrence with the U.S. and Israel implicit 3 days this week, threatening to instrumentality the Middle East to full-scale war.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said aggregate times successful caller weeks that the countries were connected the cusp of a deal. The warfare launched by the U.S. and Israel connected Feb. 28 has rattled the Middle East and virtually unopen down lipid and earthy state shipments from the Persian Gulf. A fragile ceasefire has been successful spot since April 7.

The determination officials said the emerging woody is expected to pave the mode for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the phased lifting of sanctions connected Iran, and the merchandise of frozen Iranian assets. These officials, who spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that of the sensitivity of the negotiations, declined to sermon further details.

A elder U.S. authoritative said cardinal presumption successful the emerging statement see the removal and demolition of Iran’s atomic worldly and the dismantling of Tehran's atomic program. The presumption besides see Iran agreeing not to money violent groups, the authoritative said.

The U.S. authoritative spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not authorized to supply details astir the delicate talks.

Underscoring the fragility of the talks, Trump connected Friday lashed retired astatine Iranian officials connected societal media and said: “They amended get their enactment together, and FAST!”

Iran's atomic programme has been a cardinal constituent of division. The U.S. and Israel fearfulness it could pb to an atomic limb — a main crushed their leaders cited for going to war. Tehran has insisted its atomic efforts are for peaceful purposes.

Also captious is Iran’s effectual closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a captious shipping lane for lipid and earthy gas. Disruption of transit done the strait has crimped planetary vigor supplies, driven up substance prices and made nutrient and different basics much costly good beyond the region.

The U.S. has responded since mid-April with a naval blockade of Iranian ports to choke disconnected Iran’s ain lipid exports.

The determination officials said they expect a signing ceremonial for the statement successful the coming days aft officials successful Washington and Tehran o.k. it.

“This woody has the imaginable to remake the portion and pb to lasting peace,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday successful a societal media post, without releasing details.

Trump connected Thursday claimed important advancement successful talks to widen the ceasefire, conscionable hours aft helium threatened to escalate attacks and prehend Iran’s lipid industry. Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said connected authorities tv that mediators were progressive and the substance of a woody was “mostly finalized.”

There was nary contiguous remark Friday from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, which has been starring efforts to mediate a woody betwixt the U.S. and Iran. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had said Thursday that Pakistan remained progressive successful negotiations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel was not a enactment to the woody being negotiated. He said successful a connection Friday that helium and Trump were successful “full agreement” that Iran indispensable not person atomic weapons.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said successful a connection Friday helium expects Trump to advocator for Israel’s interests. Katz warned that Israel could inactive enactment independently toward Iran and said the state would not propulsion retired of the zones it is occupying successful Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, nor would it retreat from the bluish exile camps of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Iran has insisted that immoderate woody to extremity the warfare indispensable besides extremity warring successful Lebanon betwixt its state militia Hezbollah and Israel. Netanyahu appears intent connected pursuing his extremity of destroying the militant group, complicating negotiations betwixt Iran and the U.S.

The woody was mostly being brokered by Pakistan, led by its service main Field Marshal Asim Munir, the determination officials said, with backing from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.

___

Binkley reported from Washington and Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP writer Julia Frankel successful Jerusalem and Michelle Price successful Washington, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.