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As the White House weighed a potential agreement to end weeks of conflict between the United States and Iran, Tehran insisted on Saturday that no final deal had been reached, even as President Donald Trump met with advisers in the Situation Room to consider a proposal that could reshape the Middle East.

The mixed signals underscored the fragility of negotiations that have lurched between battlefield confrontations and diplomatic overtures. While Trump said in a social media post before Friday's meeting that he would make a "final determination" on a deal, officials in Iran maintained that the process remained incomplete.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from multiple outlets agree that Trump's meeting occurred and that no decision was announced. Al Jazeera reported that Tehran had reasserted control over the Strait of Hormuz during negotiations, warning that foreign vessels must comply with Iranian regulations. The same outlet also carried a statement from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who told the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that the US is "more than capable" of restarting the war if no satisfactory deal is reached.

Dawn, reporting on the same events, noted that Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said "no final agreement has been reached," echoing statements from other officials. It also reported that Iran's Fars news agency had rebutted key elements of Trump's description of the deal, calling his remarks a "mixture of truth and lies" according to informed sources.

France 24's coverage also emphasized Iran's insistence that there was no final agreement, and noted that US sources had privately indicated a deal was awaiting Trump's sign-off.

Key Claims

  • No final agreement: Iranian officials, including foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, have repeatedly stated that while messages are being exchanged, no deal has been finalized. This position was echoed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, who said a final decision on any agreement will be made by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
  • Trump's characterization disputed: Iran's Fars news agency has cited sources who say Trump's description of the deal is a "mixture of truth and lies." The agency also reported that Tehran is demanding the immediate release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, a point not addressed in Trump's social media post.
  • US readiness to resume attacks: Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth warned that the US military is "more than capable" of restarting operations if a deal is not reached, and that the Pentagon is "postured even stronger today than we were on Day One."
  • Strait of Hormuz: Iran's armed forces, through the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said that the management of the strait is exercised by the IRGC Navy, and foreign vessels must follow designated routes. Hegseth asserted that Iran is under pressure to open the strait with or without a deal.
  • Incidents: The US military fired on a Gambia-flagged ship accused of violating an Iran blockade, while Iran reported coming under attack and claimed to have downed a US drone and targeted an F-35 fighter jet, though Washington denied an Iranian claim of destroying a US plane.

Perspectives

The positions of the two sides reflect the challenges ahead. Trump, in his Friday post, reiterated demands that Iran never have nuclear weapons and that the strait open without tolls, details of which negotiations are still ongoing. On the US side, there is some impatience: Hegseth warned about the prospect of renewed military action, highlighting the "patient" but firm posture.

Iranian officials have framed the talks as a matter of internal decision-making and have established a call for supreme leader approval before any final signing, according to President Pezeshkian. They have also pushed for the release of frozen assets and have dismissed Trump's language of "must .

Media reports suggest that the two sides are still working through details, with one report saying that conflicting clauses remain on "two or three" issues. For now, the globe continues to wait as negotiators attempt to bridge the gaps and the world holds its breath.