WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Thursday (June 11) said the United States and Iran could sign a peace deal as soon as this weekend that would reopen shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The agreement, if finalized, would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet to end the three-month-old war, which has killed thousands of people and sent global energy prices sharply higher.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that Tehran is likely to approve the agreement, though it has yet to give a formal response.
When asked if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has approved the deal, Trump said: "I understand the answer is yes."
Trump's announcement came after he called off planned military strikes on Iran, citing progress in talks.
Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly claimed that a deal with Iran to end the war is close. The two sides have traded strikes throughout the week, straining a ceasefire announced in April.
Trump has repeatedly said that any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran's demands include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the Strait of Hormuz.
