President Trump is slamming Iranian officials for leaking terms of an emerging deal that “bear no relation to the truth,” underscoring the tenuous nature of efforts to finalize a peace memorandum.
The president also scolded Iran for drone attacks against Indian ships near the Strait of Hormuz, even as both sides try to finalize an agreement.
“They better get their act together, and FAST!” Mr. Trump said on social media.
He sounded off on Tehran after state-affiliated media reported that the deal included favorable terms for Iran, such as the lifting of certain sanctions, the release of frozen funds, the withdrawal of U.S. troops and a $300 billion reconstruction fund.
“The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. “What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith.”
The president on Thursday called off planned strikes against Iran, citing a pending peace deal that could be signed by the weekend in Europe.
SEE ALSO: Iran says U.S. deal not final yet, as Trump eyes weekend signing
He said the deal would lift the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and set the table for stopping Iran’s nuclear program.
Notably, a top Iranian negotiator on Friday said the deal could be coming to fruition.
“The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer. Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. “In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be shared with the public in due course.”
Mr. Trump said it was his “understanding” that Iran’s supreme leader signed off on the deal.
However, Iranian officials on Friday said the deal was being finalized but had not been approved by their side.
The U.S. and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on Feb. 28 to prevent it from gaining a nuclear weapon and to curtail its terror activities in the Middle East.
Early strikes killed Iran’s top leaders, and Tehran retaliated by striking U.S. allies in the Gulf region and clamping down on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, causing global energy shocks.
The countries have been under a so-called ceasefire since April, but all sides have exchanged fire during a thorny peace process mediated by Qatar, Pakistan and other nations.
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