Trump Contradicts Iran, Says Deal Will Be Signed on Sunday

US President Donald Trump and mediator Pakistan said on Saturday that a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Middle East would be signed on Sunday, even as Iran denied that the signing would take place so soon.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the two sides had agreed on a framework for a peace deal and that Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signature on Sunday, to be followed by technical-level negotiations next week.

Trump said in a social media post that the signing of the deal with Iran was scheduled for Sunday and that the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for the world's oil supplies that Iran has blocked, would be "open to all" immediately after the signing.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei urged caution on the timing of the signing. "We will have to wait and see about the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow", he was quoted by state media as saying. "The possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out. However, due to the hesitation of the other side, we must be cautious in making any comments about this process", he added.

A US official who later spoke to reporters declined to comment on the timing but said: "It's a great deal and a very strong deal."

(reuters, luc)