Iran Agrees a Deal 'Has Never Been Closer'

Iran stepped into the peace agreement narrative on Friday, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying a deal to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and begin fresh nuclear talks "has never been closer." He urged the news media to stop speculating on the agreement's terms until it's finalized, Axios reports. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a go-between, said that a text has been agreed on and that "peace has never been this close." President Trump, who earlier blasted Iranian state-media reports about the agreement, told Axios that he viewed Araghchi's post as "very positive" and still expects a signing as soon as this weekend or Monday.

The assessments echo those of President Trump, who said Thursday that a deal was being finalized. He said Iran's government had apologized for putting out incorrect details, including claims that billions in frozen Iranian assets would be freed immediately; Washington says any financial relief would be tied to nuclear steps by Iran. The spin battle over what the deal actually contains—along with criticism from Democrats and others comparing it to the 2015 Obama agreement—has begun. Cautioning that Iran's system is complicated, a senior US official said Friday afternoon that the likelihood of a deal going through is at least 80%, per CNBC. "But it's not 100%," he added.