Trump Says US-Iran Deal ‘Within a Week’ Amid Hormuz Crisis
President Donald Trump has declared that a deal with Iran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz will be finalized “within a week,” even as Iranian officials suspended negotiations in protest of Israeli military operations in Lebanon. The conflicting signals underscore the fragile and volatile path toward ending the 2026 Iran War, now in its fourth month.
Background: A War and a Fragile Ceasefire
The 2026 Iran War began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Iran, targeting military and government sites and assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel, US bases, and Gulf Arab states, and closed the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, according to BBC News.
A temporary ceasefire took effect on April 8, and the US subsequently imposed a blockade of Iranian ports on April 13. US Central Command reported redirecting 100 vessels, disabling four, and allowing 26 humanitarian aid ships to pass since the blockade began.
Trump’s Optimistic Timeline
In an interview with ABC News on June 1, Trump expressed confidence that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran would be completed within days. “Looking good, looking good,” Trump said. “It should be completed within the next week.” The framework reportedly includes 14 points, with broader talks on Iran’s nuclear program to follow within 30 to 60 days, as reported by The Guardian.
Trump separately claimed to have brokered a side agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, telling ABC News he communicated with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah, securing an agreement that Israel would not send troops to Beirut and Hezbollah would cease attacks.
Netanyahu’s Clarification and Iran’s Suspension
However, Netanyahu later issued a statement clarifying that if Hezbollah does not stop attacking Israeli towns, Israel will strike targets in Beirut. He also affirmed that Israeli forces would continue operations in southern Lebanon as planned, according to Xinhua News.
Complicating matters further, Iranian media outlet Tasnim News Agency reported on June 1 that Iran’s negotiation team had suspended dialogue and text exchanges with the US through intermediaries, and planned to completely blockade the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon and Gaza. This directly contradicts Trump’s narrative of rapid progress.
The Deal Framework
On May 23, Trump announced on Truth Social that an MOU with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” subject to finalization between the US, Iran, and various other countries. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei confirmed Iran’s intention to reach an agreement “in the form of a framework, consisting of 14 points,” with further talks to follow within 30 to 60 days.
However, Iran’s Fars News Agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, described Trump’s assertion that an agreement was nearly final as “inconsistent with reality” and insisted that management of the Strait of Hormuz “will continue to be the monopoly and discretion of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Pakistan’s Mediation Role
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the negotiations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Trump on his peace efforts and said Pakistan hoped to host the next round of talks “very soon.” Pakistan’s army chief, Syed Asim Munir, has held meetings in Tehran with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Domestic Political Divisions
The emerging deal has exposed deep divisions within the Republican Party. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the rumored terms, comparing them unfavorably to the 2015 JCPOA, which Trump withdrew from in 2018. “The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world,” Pompeo wrote on social media.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded aggressively, telling Pompeo to “shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals.”
Analysis and Implications
The conflicting narratives between Trump’s optimism and Iran’s skepticism highlight the precarious nature of the negotiations. Iran’s suspension of talks appears to be a tactical move to pressure Israel over its Lebanon operations, while Trump’s aggressive timeline may reflect domestic political calculus — a deal would fulfill a campaign promise to end wars and stabilize oil markets.
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz would have profound global implications, stabilizing oil prices that have been volatile since the war began. However, the 60-day window for nuclear negotiations leaves major questions unresolved, and the fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire could unravel at any moment.
What’s Next
All eyes are on whether Trump’s one-week timeline holds. The coming days will test whether the administration can bridge the gap between its optimistic public posture and the complex reality on the ground, where Iran has paused talks, Israel continues operations in Lebanon, and the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint for global economic disruption.
Research sourced from Xinhua News, BBC News, The Guardian, HK01, and Wikipedia.