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By Brendan Cole and Steve Mollman

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President Donald Trump said a deal to end the Iran war would be signed on Sunday.

On Saturday, he posted to Truth Social: "The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL."

But on Sunday, Israel attacked Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Beirut, threatening the deal. As part of any agreement, Tehran wants Israel to end its attacks in Lebanon and withdraw from Lebanese territories.

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Trump Criticizes Israeli Attacks

Trump expressed anger toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, according to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst after speaking to the president.

Yingst posted to X: "Spoke with President Trump. He says the deal with Iran is expected to be signed in the next 2-3 hours. President Trump said he asked Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu 'what the fu*k are you doing?' on a call after the Israeli strikes against Beirut. He told Netanyahu not to conduct additional strikes. The President told me he will ask Iran not to respond with missile fire toward Israel."

Trump posted on Truth Social earlier Sunday:

"This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran. Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process. We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down. There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!"

Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, responded to the attacks by threatening to pull out of the negotiations, writing on X: "If you lack the will and ability to ​fulfil your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible."

Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said on X Friday that, whatever happens with the deal, Israel "will not withdraw from the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza," and it must retain the ability to “act independently to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons” in the future.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Iran to rein in Hezbollah.

“We’re attuned to what’s happening with Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel, which they need to stop doing, and Iran needs to encourage them to stop doing that in very adamant ways," he said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation.

What's in the Peace Deal

A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday the terms for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) include a pledge for Tehran to neither produce nor acquire nuclear weapons. Washington had also agreed that Tehran would dilute its highly enriched uranium (HEU) stockpile inside Iran, with further details to be ironed out over the next 60 days.

Under the deal, the official added, the United States would temporarily waive oil sanctions on Iran, unfreeze $25 billion in Iranian assets, and end the naval blockade on Iran's ports, while Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial ​vessels as it had been before the conflict started.

Trump's Truth Social post about the deal also trashed the Iran nuclear agreement brokered under former President Barack Obama, calling the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—which eased sanctions in return for limiting Tehran's nuclear program—"an easy, beautiful, smooth road to a Nuclear Weapon."

Obama, who recently spoke to ABC News, said, "It is doubtful that any agreement that arises is going to be significantly different or a significant improvement from the deal that we had in the first place and had worked for a long stretch of time.”

Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat, called the deal into question during an interview Saturday on MS NOW.

“I mean, $100 billion of taxpayer money already put into this war, 14 Americans dead, and we get a deal that just reopens the strait that was already open before he started the war. How is that a win?” asked the Massachusetts lawmaker, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee.

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Timing of the Deal

Trump's posts followed an announcement from Pakistan, a mediator to the talks, that an imminent agreement would be finalized after which “technical level talks” would start. On Sunday, Qatari negotiators flew to Tehran in efforts to finalize an agreement, Reuters reported.

However, Iranian figures have cast doubt on that timing. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Saturday "we will have ​to wait and see" about when the signing would take place "although it will not be tomorrow," adding, "the possibility of this happening in the coming days cannot be ruled out."

It isn't the first time the two sides have disagreed on details of a possible deal, and Trump has said that one was close many times before.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on Iranian state TV late on Friday, said the agreement to end the war would come in two parts, with an MoU between Tehran and the Washington being followed by a peace deal. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical energy transit corridors, would reopen as part of the MoU, he said, but Iran would eventually charge a service fee for passage—an arrangement Trump has opposed.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Araghchi’s account of a proposed MoU largely matches reporting by IRGC-affiliated media, showing a growing consensus among Iranian leaders on negotiating red lines.

The Washington, DC, -based think tank's analysis on Saturday said Tehran is structuring the MoU to reduce U.S. leverage in later nuclear talks, while portraying the agreement domestically as a tactical pause.

The ISW also said Tehran is trying to get some of its frozen assets for economic relief before nuclear talks begin, which would decrease U.S. leverage in the nuclear negotiations and enable Iran to more easily walk away.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country was “working closely” with both sides “to finalize the next steps” of the process. "Setting aside the noise, we can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps," he posted to X on Friday. "Peace has never been this close as it is now."

On Saturday morning, Sharif wrote a follow-up post that Trump shared on Truth Social: "With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours, Pakistan is preparing for the electronic signing of the peace deal immediately after, followed by technical level talks next week...We are confident that this historic peace deal will form a strong foundation for lasting peace."

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.

'Fake Information' Regarding the Deal

On Friday, Trump had rejected what he described as “leaked” details of a proposed deal to end the three-month Iran war, saying they had “NOTHING to do” with the agreed terms.

Vice President JD Vance, whom Trump suggested could sign an agreement with Iran, said he was seeing "a lot of fake information" about a possible deal, writing on X Friday:

"First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting. The deal is structured to ensure that the US and its allies concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region. This deal has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace."

Trump also stressed the financial aspect of the deal, stating in his Truth Social post on Saturday: "Unlike Obama’s Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in payments to them, including 1.7 Billion Dollars in green, cold cash, no money will exchange hands."

Araghchi said that a deal "has never been closer" but that speculation about the details should be avoided, writing on X Friday: "Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content. In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be shared with the public in due course."

What's in the 14-Point MoU as Reported by Iranian Media?

According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, the MoU's terms did not include new restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, a central justification cited by the United States and Israel for launching the war on February 28.

The deal also reportedly calls on the U.S. to lift sanctions and release $24 billion in frozen funds during a 60-day negotiating period following the MoU's signing. Washington had previously indicated it would not unfreeze any funds.

The deal would lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days, as long as the U.S. lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports it imposed in retaliation, Mehr reported.

However, Baghaei said that while parts of the deal had been agreed to, there was still no "final conclusion" and Tehran was not going to compromise on its red lines, which include its nuclear program, the release of frozen funds, and sanctions relief.

A source close to the Iranian negotiating team told state news agency Fars on Friday that claims of a finalized agreement set to be signed in Geneva on Sunday are "completely false."

Here are the 14 points of the MoU as reported by Iranian media:

• The permanent and immediate cessation of war on all fronts, including Lebanon

• America's commitment to non-interference in Iran's internal affairs

• Complete lifting of the U.S. naval blockade within 30 days

• A U.S. commitment to withdrawing its forces from around Iran

• Reopening the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days with Iranian arrangements

• Suspension of sanctions on the sale of oil, petrochemical products and derivatives and full access for Iran to its financial resources

• Reconstruction plans for Iran worth at least $300 billion

• 60 days of negotiations for a final agreement based on nuclear issues and the complete lifting of primary, secondary and U.S. sanctions

• Reiterating Iran's commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) not to produce nuclear weapons

• The U.S. not to increase its forces in the region nor impose new sanctions

• Release $24 billion in blocked Iranian funds during the 60-days of final negotiations. Half must be freed up before talks begin

• Establishing a monitoring mechanism to implement the agreement

• The final agreement will be approved by a U.N. Security Council Resolution

• Final negotiations will not begin before the release of half of Iran's frozen funds, the suspension of Iran's oil sanctions, and the lifting of the naval blockade

Trump Warned of Strikes, Then Canceled Them

Over the past week, the war has been marked by abrupt shifts between diplomacy and intermittent attacks.

On Thursday morning, Trump wrote on Truth Social about plans to hit Iran "very hard," and said Washington would at some point take control of Iran's oil and gas industry, including its key oil hub Kharg Island. But hours later, he said he was canceling the strikes because of progress in talks.

Since a ceasefire began early April, Trump has repeatedly suggested a peace deal could be imminent, despite Tehran consistently saying both sides are still far apart on core areas. Trump has also frequently voiced frustration with the stalled talks and earlier this week said Iran would "pay a price" for failing to agree to a deal. The U.S. bombed Iranian military targets on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Asked whether a Kharg Island operation would now be off the table, Trump replied, "Well, now it would be. If we signed this agreement, it would be. They weren't so thrilled when they heard that’s what I would have done."

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Tit-for-Tat Strikes

The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire for a second night on Thursday, with the U.S. hitting targets across several Iranian cities, while Tehran responded with strikes against U.S. air bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its latest round of airstrikes ended just before sunrise Thursday and were "in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression." They had targeted Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defense sites.

Explosions and airstrikes were heard early Thursday across Iran: in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, Hengam, Sirik, and Minab in southern Iran; in Karaj, west of Tehran; and in Dashti County in the south, according to the state news agency IRNA.

In turn, Iran attacked targets across the region. The Jordanian military said its air defense systems intercepted 20 missiles launched from Iran toward the Azraq area in Zarqa governorate, located around 50 miles east of the capital Amman. The U.S. Embassy in Jordan warned American citizens to shelter in place because of missiles in Jordanian airspace.

Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace, while Bahrain's authorities said an 11-year-old girl was hurt and cars and homes were damaged by "falling debris" from interceptions of the Iranian attack.

It came a day after U.S. forces struck around 20 targets in southern Iran, including air defenses, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites, in response to Iran’s drone attack that downed a U.S. Apache helicopter off Oman the previous day. Iranian forces responded with drone and missile attacks targeting American bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Iran's foreign ministry added in its statement Thursday that the U.S. had undertaken "a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law."

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