Trump Claims Iran Deal Will Reopen Hormuz Strait Amid Pakistani Optimism and Tehran Pushback

The United States, Iran and several regional players are negotiating a memorandum of understanding that could end the naval blockade imposed after February’s war. President Donald Trump posted that the agreement would “open the Strait of Hormuz,” the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of global oil shipments pass. He framed the draft as a step toward “peace” and suggested it could ease the current energy crunch.

Pakistan, acting as mediator, offered a contrasting tone. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that “meaningful progress” had been achieved in the talks, implying that a durable settlement may be within reach. He did not detail the concessions but highlighted the rapid schedule for a next negotiation round.

Iran’s official Fars News Agency rejected Trump’s headline. The agency reported that the draft would leave Iran in charge of the strait and labeled the president’s statements “inconsistent with reality.” Tehran’s position, echoed by its foreign ministry, is that the memorandum is only a framework and that final terms remain under discussion.

The divergent narratives reflect deeper mistrust. The United States has linked any deal to strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program and has warned Tehran against supporting terrorism. Iran, while acknowledging a “trend toward rapprochement,” stresses that any agreement must receive approval from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

If the strait reopens, global oil markets could see a modest price relief, but the timing and scope of the lift remain unclear. The United States and Israel continue to monitor the negotiations closely, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slated to discuss the proposal in a security cabinet meeting.

What to watch next: confirmation of the memorandum’s final terms, the response of the Supreme Leader, and whether the promised opening of the Strait of Hormuz materializes in practice.