President Donald Trump has announced that a nuclear agreement between the United States and Iran will be signed on Sunday, a claim that was immediately met with scepticism from Iranian officials who indicated that negotiations remain ongoing. The competing statements underscore the fragile state of diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said: "We have a deal. It will be signed on Sunday. It's a great deal for both sides." He offered no further details on the terms, nor did he specify the location for the signing. The president's assertion came hours after his administration imposed new sanctions on Iranian entities linked to the country's missile programme, a move that appeared to contradict the spirit of a potential agreement.
In Tehran, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh responded with caution. "Reports of a final agreement are premature. Talks are still underway, and no date has been set for any signing," he said in a statement. "Any announcement from foreign officials does not reflect the true status of negotiations."
The discrepancy between the two capitals highlights the challenges of securing a comprehensive deal. European diplomats involved in the discussions have privately expressed frustration at what they describe as mixed signals from Washington. One senior European official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "We have seen this before. Announcements are made without prior consultation, and then the details fall apart."
The proposed agreement, which aims to curb Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief, has been a cornerstone of Trump's foreign policy agenda. However, critics argue that his administration's maximum pressure campaign has undermined trust. Iran has repeatedly demanded guarantees that any deal would be durable and not subject to reversal by a future US administration.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has remained silent on the matter, though he has previously expressed deep mistrust of American commitments. The timing of Trump's announcement is also significant, coming just weeks before the US presidential election. Analysts have suggested that the president is keen to deliver a major diplomatic victory before voters go to the polls.
Despite the optimism from the White House, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported on Friday that Iran has continued to expand its stockpile of enriched uranium, now estimated to be more than ten times the limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal from which Trump withdrew. The agency's latest report indicates that Iran's enrichment activities have accelerated in recent months, a trend that negotiators had hoped would be reversed by a new agreement.
In response to the apparent confusion, the US State Department declined to comment on the specifics of Trump's claim. A spokesperson said only that "discussions are proceeding, and we remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached." The lack of clarity has left international observers speculating about the actual state of the talks.
The potential deal has drawn sharp reactions from both supporters and opponents. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that a bad deal could threaten regional security. "Israel will not be bound by any agreement that allows Iran to develop nuclear weapons capability," he said.
As the Sunday deadline approaches, the world watches to see whether Trump's prediction will prove accurate or whether it will become another chapter in the long history of failed US-Iran diplomacy. For now, the only certainty is the deep mistrust that continues to define relations between the two countries.
