Iranian state media on Friday printed a variety of claims about the draft ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States, including some reports that Iran would make a verifiable commitment to refrain from developing nuclear weapons.
Iran’s state-run Mehr news agency cited an “unofficial source” who said the draft memorandum “includes Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons; a permanent halt to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon; a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days; and 60 days of negotiations to reach a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.”
Senior U.S. officials said Iran’s existing stockpile of enriched uranium would be “destroyed and removed” under the deal, and Tehran would agree to a “meaningful inspection regime” to ensure it does not restart its nuclear program. Some U.S. sources also said the agreement would bar Iran from funding terrorist proxy groups across the Middle East.
Most Iranian media reports were much more flattering to Iran’s positions than the Mehr article, describing massive U.S. concessions such as unfreezing Iran’s assets, lifting sanctions on Iranian oil, removing American forces from the region around Iran, and even the United States setting up a $300 billion fund to rebuild the Iranian economy.
Iranian media reports also generally said the United States would agree to pressure Israel into halting its operations in Lebanon, and would stop pressing Iran to scale back its ballistic missile program.
President Donald Trump wrote a Truth Social post on Friday accusing Iran of spreading misinformation about the deal to the media.
“The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing. What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth,” Trump wrote.
“Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING!” he grumbled.
“Also, their totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together, and FAST!” Trump added.
U.S. officials said on Friday that Iran launched two of its kamikaze drones against commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, but American forces intercepted and destroyed both.
Israeli media reported on Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not informed of Trump’s deal with Iran in advance and was “caught off guard” when Trump abruptly canceled heavy strikes on Iran that were scheduled for Thursday night.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry insisted on Thursday that the regime in Tehran has made no final decisions about a ceasefire with the United States and had no intention of yielding on any of its “red lines” for a deal. Iran also accused the U.S. of changing the terms of the deal during negotiations.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei accused the U.S. of “piracy” for disabling Indian-crewed vessels that attempted to violate the American blockade of Iranian ports.
“The brutal US attacks on Indian commercial vessels which have killed at least three Indian nationals, stand as clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy,” Baqaei said.
“We extend our sympathies to the families and friends of the slain Indian sailors and offer our sincere condolences to the Indian people and government,” he added.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been attempting to mediate talks between the U.S. and Iran, said on Friday that a “final, agreed-upon text” has been accepted by both parties. He dismissed reports to the contrary as part of an “incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal.”
“Peace has never been this close as it is now,” he insisted.