Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday morning that a deal to end the Iran War would likely be finalized within the next 24 hours and signed shortly thereafter, as the conflict entered its 106th day.
“We are closer to a peace deal than ever before,” Sharif wrote on X. “With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical-level talks next week.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X Friday that “the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer. Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content,” adding that “all details will be shared with the public in due course.” Trump later reposted Araghchi’s statement on Truth Social.
President Donald Trump said that a deal with Iran is scheduled to be signed tomorrow and appeared to table nuclear issues, posting on Truth Social Saturday morning “at the appropriate time, when all is calm, we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust.”
Reuters, citing two anonymous sources, reported Friday that the UAE would release $10 billion in frozen Iranian funds as part of a peace deal, while other sources claimed it was about $20 billion and was negotiated in exchange for Tehran halting its attacks on the UAE. One of the sources told Reuters that the first installment of $3 billion had already been paid to Iran. The UAE on Saturday morning denied the transfers.
Iran’s position has been that a wider deal to end the conflict could only occur with an end to Israel’s bombing and occupation of Lebanon and the U.S. unfreezing Iranian frozen funds.
Israel carried out more airstrikes and issued forced displacement orders in several towns and villages in southern Lebanon Saturday, with Lebanon’s Health Ministry raising the total death toll from Israeli attacks to 3,756 people killed since March 2.
The price of Brent Crude oil closed Friday at $87.3 while AAA reported the national average price of regular gas at $4.09. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes of an imminent deal to end the Iran War, which has roiled energy marks.
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