Trump denies Iran deal claims, decries new drone attack
President Donald Trump on Friday insisted that the terms of a war-ending deal that have been circulating in Iranian state media “have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing.”
Iran’s Mehr News Agency had reported that a draft deal includes a commitment from the U.S. to lift oil sanctions and that final negotiations will not begin until half of Iran’s frozen funds are released and a U.S. naval blockade ends. The deal also includes a pledge from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days, among other points, Mehr reported.
“What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth,” Trump said in an angry Truth Social post Friday morning, slamming the Iranians as “very dishonorable people to deal with.”
“With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith,” Trump wrote.
He also decried what he described as Iran’s “totally rebuffed Drone attack last night” against Indian ships that were leaving the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier Friday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned Jason Meeks, deputy mission chief at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi,Β regarding “continuing attacks by U.S. naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman.”
Those U.S. attacks have resulted in the loss of three Indian lives, according to the Indian ministry.
Trump, appearing to blame Iran for the latest incident involving Indian ships, wrote that the alleged drone attack was “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”
“They better get their act together, and FAST!” the president wrote of Iran.
A day earlier, Trump said the U.S. and Iran could sign a peace deal as soon as this weekend. Trump has more than 30 times claimed a peace deal is close to completion throughout the war, which is now in its fourth month.
A deal could be signed in Switzerland as soon as Sunday, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing people familiar with the plans. Trump and other world leaders are set to gather for the G7 summit next week in Γvian-les-Bains, on France’s eastern border with Switzerland.
Other provisions in the 14-point draft deal document reported by Mehr include the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iran and the requirement of the U.S. and its allies to present reconstruction plans for Iran worth at least $300 billion.
Peace deal hopes
Trump had claimed in the Oval Office on Thursday that the U.S. “just made a great settlement of the war with Iran,” subject to the “finalization of documents.”
That announcement came after Trump canceled strikes on Iran that were set for Thursday evening, claiming that talks with the Islamic Republic “have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.”
He also said in the Oval Office that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened as soon as a deal is signed.
Israel has not directly commented on the latest draft memorandum of understanding that was shared in Iranian state media.
But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, in an X post later Friday morning, said Tel Aviv expects Trump to uphold the “principle” of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons “and additional principles in the realm of missiles and terrorist proxies.”
Katz also vowed that Israel will not withdraw its forces from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and a northern area of the West Bank.
“Our security doctrine is sharp and clear: We act against both near and distant threats and strive for decisive outcomes rather than compromises and concessions,” Katz wrote.
Trump said Thursday that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other regional leaders about the potential memorandum of understanding with Iran.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed the conversation later Thursday. It said in a statement that, although Israel is not part of the negotiation with Iran, the prime minister appreciated Trump’s “commitment that the final agreement at the conclusion of the negotiations” will include various restrictions on Iran’s nuclear capabilities and other behaviors.
About 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade and 20% of global liquefied natural gas passes through the strait, the vital oil shipping route that has become a major choke point during the war.
Global stocks surged on Friday on hopes a peace deal would be reached. European shares jumped, with the pan-EuropeanΒ Stoxx 600Β gaining 1.8% while most major exchanges added around 2% in morning trade.
Oil prices tumbled, with U.S. crude oilΒ futures for July delivery falling 1.61%. August futures for Brent, the international benchmark,Β lost 1.75%.