Iran War live: Trump claims deal to be signed in hours but warns of 'ultimate alternative'

Iran War live: Trump claims deal to be signed in hours but warns of 'ultimate alternative' Donald Trump says a deal to end the fighting between the US and Iran will mean the Strait of Hormuz will be 'open to all' A peace deal between Iran and the US that will see the Strait of Hormuz "open to all" and curbs on Iran's nuclear programme will be signed within hours, according to Donald Trump. In a post on social media yesterday, the US president said that the truce agreement was coming soon. He said on Truth Social: "The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL." However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei previously said yesterday afternoon that the signing of the deal would not be taking place as soon. Mr Baghaei blamed the "inconsistency" of the US for the delay, adding Iran needed to "remain cautious". Trump has also warned that if things don't "work out quickly, easily and smoothly", Washington had "the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!" On Saturday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that "we are closer to a peace deal than ever before". Key Events Israeli President Isaac Herzog has wished Donald Trump a happy 80th birthday and thanked him for confronting "Iran's empire of evil". He wrote on X: "Happy 80th birthday, President @realDonaldTrump! Your remarkable journey to the White House represents the breadth of the American dream and the power of your own resolve. "The people of Israel are grateful for your leadership in confronting Iran’s empire of evil and for your steadfast commitment to the security of Israel. We will never forget your tireless efforts in securing the release of our beloved hostages. "May you lead the Middle East and the world toward peace and security and continue to strengthen the unique U.S.-Israel partnership. "In Jewish tradition, it is stated that at the age of eighty you gain unique prowess. May you enjoy your beautiful family and many happy birthdays with blessings and joy." Israel's opposition leader has taken to social media to roast his nation's Prime Minister over the war in Iran, calling Benjamin Netanyahu and the war as a "complete failure".Taking to X to slam his rival and the incoming ceasefire agreement to down arms. Yair Lapid wrote on X that the ceasefire sees none of Israel's "war goals" achieved as Iran's regime remains intact, as does its nuclear programme. Lapid added that Netanyahu - who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes - had turning their nation into what he called as “a client state".“No press conference, no media spin, and no AI-generated video will be able to hide this failure,” Lapid added. "The next government will have a historic role: to repair the damage caused by Netanyahu’s inability to turn military achievements into strategic successes." The IDF said it had intercepted a rocket fired at Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. There were no casualties reported, the army said, as it accused Hezbollah of firing a rocket at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. It added that sirens were activated following the interception attempts. Hezbollah has said it carried out attacks against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. The Iran-backed armed group said it targeted an IDF armoured vehicle and troops using drones. The announcement comes hours after the Israeli military claimed to have hit more than 70 sites in southern Lebanon over the past day which it said were linked to Hezbollah. Iran has reiterated its earlier statement saying that the peace deal with the US will not be signed on Sunday, calling the move a "personal publicity event" for Donald Trump, whose birthday is tomorrow. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps slammed Trump's "unusual insistence" on the Memorandum of Understanding being signed tomorrow, calling it a "test for Iran's negotiating team". Trump’s earlier Truth Social post, stating the signing would go ahead tomorrow came “despite Iranian negotiators explicitly stating that the memorandum has not yet been finalised and that signing on Sunday is definitely not happening,” the IRGC said. The statement also said that Trump wished to have the signing of the deal occur on his birthday as a "personal publicity event". Downing Street has said that Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump the UK will help to support a peace deal in a phone call this afternoon. A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon. “The Prime Minister expressed his support for President Trump’s efforts to bring the conflict with Iran to an end, welcoming the progress made and underlining the importance of ensuring any deal delivers a durable and lasting peace. “The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK stands ready to support the implementation of any peace agreement and to work with international partners to ensure its success. “Both leaders agreed that freedom of navigation must be restored to ease the economic impacts felt globally. “They agreed to stay in close contact and looked forward to speaking at next week’s G7 summit.” In a post on social media the US president has said a deal with Iran is scheduled to be signed tomorrow. The news follows a statement from the Pakistani government saying an “electronic signing ceremony” was due to take place on Sunday. Meanwhile Iran has sounded less confident, earlier Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the signing would not take place tomorrow. Trump warned of an “ultimate alternative” should the peace deal fail to materialise. "This process will all work out quickly, easily and smoothly," Trump said on Truth Social. "If it doesn't, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!" Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said that Iran’s negotiating team is not planning to visit Geneva or elsewhere in the next few days, according to state media reports. The news follows an earlier statement from Pakistan, which has been acting as an intermediary in peace talks, saying that “an electronic signing ceremony” was scheduled for Sunday. Mr Baghaei previously said that the signing process would not take place tomorrow, citing the “inconsistency” of the US side of the negotiations. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the US-Iran peace deal will be signed tomorrow, despite an earlier denial from Tehran. According to Pakistan's foreign office, the officials from the mediating countries welcomed the negotiations between the US and Iran being in their final stage, "with the electronic signing ceremony scheduled for tomorrow”. The news comes after the Iranian government said the signing would not take place tomorrow “due to the other side’s inconsistency”. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the peace deal will not be signed tomorrow. Iranian state-controlled media outlet IRIB said that spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei had confirmed it would not be taking place tomorrow. There has been growing speculation over the timing of the agreement, with reports that Donald Trump wanted to get it done before attending a G7 summit on Monday in France. Funeral processions for former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be held in July, says Iran’s state-run news agency. The funeral, burial, and farewell ceremonies for Khamenei will take place between July 4 and 9, IRIB, reported. Khamenei was killed in the opening salvo of the war that Israel and the United States launched against Iran in late February. He has since been replaced by his son, Mojtaba, who is seen as even less compromising. Funeral ceremonies for Khamenei are expected to begin in Tehran, and the procession will move to Qom, a stronghold of many senior Shiite clerics, and then to Mashhad, his birthplace, where he’ll be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine, considered the holiest place among Shiite devotees. Funerals for Khamenei’s daughter and son-in-law, killed in the February strike, will also be held on the same day. Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, claims the US and Israel "refrained from no crime or cruelty" during attacks. Writing on X, he wrote: "One year has passed since the start of the first round of criminal attacks by the Israeli and American regimes on our eternal home, Iran; they murdered innocent children and refrained from no crime or cruelty. "Inspired by the heroic and oppressed martyrs of the 12-Day War, we stand firm until the end for the glory and ultimate victory of our dear Iran." A US official says an emerging agreement includes provisions for reopening the strait, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran wants a deal that allows Tehran to charge ships “for services rendered”. The United States and other nations say payments would violate international law. Transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil and natural gas, has been disrupted and crimped global energy supplies, driven up fuel prices and made food and other basics more expensive well beyond the region. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says a deal over the country's nuclear programme would be finalized in the 60 days after the initial agreement is signed and that the parties could decide to extend that period. Iran’s nuclear programme has been a key point of division. The US and Israel fear it could lead to an atomic weapon — a main reason their leaders cited for going to war while Tehran has insisted its nuclear efforts are for peaceful purposes. A senior US administration official said that the emerging agreement would begin the process of destroying or removing Tehran’s highly enriched uranium. Iranians “absolutely do not trust the Americans, and this distrust stems from historical facts and events”, says a member of the Iranian leadership council. Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei was referring to last year’s 12-day war, according to Iran’s semi-state Tasnim news agency, when he claimed the US cannot be trusted. It comes as the leadership in Iran and the US have suggested that a deal to end the conflict is close. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent says that a deal with Iran could be agreed over the weekend or Monday. "We will see, maybe as soon as this weekend or Monday, we will get on the other side of this," he told Fox News. "I am very confident that the challenging time with gasoline will pass by." Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the country is the "winner of this war" as he outlined the structure of a potential memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US He claimed on Iranian television that the country was only winner of the conflict and it reflected a "major strategic achievement." "Iran has been the winner of this war, and the people of Iran are the true winners of this arena," he stated, reported Tasnim news agency. And looking ahead he added: "Naturally, after such a victory, it is necessary to consolidate it through an agreement or understanding." A White House official says that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen under a proposed deal with Iran. Speaking to reporters details were outlined including the reopening of the strait as well and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports. They also stated that the aim would be that the deal "leads to the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear programme," with the enriched uranium heading to the US. "The Iranians don't get anything upon the signing of the MOU (memorandum of understanding) or upon the negotiation itself, what they get is that they get rewarded economically for complying with their obligations under the deal," the officials said. Donald Trump said the US is close to signing a deal with Iran to wind down the war, with a memorandum of understanding to be signed in the coming days but there remains plenty of uncertainty over what will happen. But some of the key objectives Trump laid out for the conflict seem to remain unfulfilled. And while the Trump administration has said its objectives are clear and unchanging, the list has expanded and shifted as the president and his administration have spoken about the war since it started February 28. All the while, the conflict has battered the global economy, tested alliances and raised unanswered questions about the planning for the conflict, its justification and its aftermath. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the US and Iran have reached a “final, agreed upon text”. He said: “Peace has never been this close as it is now." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday an agreement “has never been closer” in a post on X, which was also shared by Trump. But, at the same time, no details have been shared and Trump has said multiple times in recent weeks the countries are on the cusp of a deal. By most accounts, the strikes by the US and Israel have significantly degraded Iran’s military capabilities and killed scores of senior leaders. But those tactical successes don’t necessarily translate into achieving all the president’s aims. And Iranian officials said nuclear details will follow an agreement to end the war despite this having been set out by the US President as his main reason for the conflict. Keeping shipping traffic flowing through the Strait of Hormuz was not one of the reasons for launching the war, but after Iran leveraged its ability to effectively shut traffic through the strait, it has become a key problem. The strait is a chokepoint for 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas and its effective closure since the war has spiked global energy prices, along with the costs of other goods. Iran had allowed ships seen as friendly to pass through, while charging considerable fees. Donald Trump has said that a proposed deal with Iran would include the reopening of the strait and the US ending its blockade of Tehran’s ports. British police have arrested protesters who tried to obstruct a prison van they thought was carrying four Palestine Action activists. The jailed activists, known as the "Filton Four", were sentenced to prison on "terror" charges over damage caused during a protest at a UK-based factory connected to Israeli weapons production, Al Jazeera reports. US Central Command wrote in a post on X: Iran launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded. The international trade corridor remains open for transit. US forces reportedly shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones moving toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Reuters reported that a source familiar with the matter said the drones had posed a threat to commercial traffic. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said changes were still possible to a peace deal between his country and the US that would see an end to the conflict, after both side signalled and agreement was near. He added that the tentative agreement showed his country had emerged stronger from the conflict. "Iran is the winner of the war with the US," he said on state television. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has said that the organisation's peacekeepers continue to observe "extensive" Israeli military activity in parts of southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported. The Wafa news agency has reported that Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades on Palestinians at a tourist site south of Bethlehem. Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, which Araghchi says is of of Iran's "most important deterrant tools," the FM said: - The Strait of Hormuz will not return to the way it was before the war, stressing that the waterway was "under the sovereignty of Iran and Oman." - Passage through the Strait will no longer be free, and all ships travelling through must pay a charge. - If the following conditions are not met, he added, no negotiations for a final agreement will take place. Araghchi also reiterated that Israel must immeditely withdraw from southern Lebanon. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has revealed more details of the MoU to state media, Al Jazeera reports, and claims the agreement will resolve issues around the US naval blockade and the Strait of Hormuz. During an interview with Iranian media, Aragchi said the agreement will include: - A pledge from the US not to start a war or threaten Iran - Both Washington and Tehran agree to respect each other's sovereignty and to not interfere in eachother's internal affairs. - An end to the war on all front, including in Lebanon. "We will never leave Lebanon alone," the minister added. The text of the MoU has reportedly been changed many times, he said, and the nuclear issue has been postponed until a later date after Aragchi claimed “The US nuclear demands were not acceptable to us at this stage at all.” The foreign minister has yet to sign the MoU but is widely expected to over the coming days. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US has "never been closer" while urging media not to speculate about its contents. A "final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached" between the US and Iran, according to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. "Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps," Sharif said in a post on X. "Peace has never been this close as it is now."