Trump: USA has 'ended the war' – Iran downplays the claims

The situation around the Strait of Hormuz took a dramatic new turn on Friday when US President Donald Trump claimed that the war with Iran is effectively over. The statement came just hours after he announced that Washington and Tehran had reached a framework agreement that could pave the way for a formal peace deal in the coming days.

According to Trump, the US called off planned military strikes against Iran because the final details of a settlement had reportedly been approved. He describes the agreement as a “major deal” that will, among other things, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic and have Iran refrain from developing nuclear weapons.

Trump has since said that the US has in practice ‘ended the war’, while expressing hopes that a formal document could be signed in Europe as early as this weekend.

– I don’t know if you’ve heard, but today we’ve ended the war with Iran. They have agreed never to acquire nuclear weapons, something we insisted on – that was the whole purpose. That accounted for 95 percent of the agreement, Trump said during an appearance.

But from the Iranian side, the message is considerably more restrained. Iranian officials have said that no final agreement has yet been approved and that important issues remain unresolved. Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that the country has not yet made a final decision on an agreement with the US.

Iranian news agencies have also called for caution, pointing out that Trump has several times previously claimed a breakthrough was near without any actual deal being reached.

Conflicting reports

In recent days, the conflict has been marked by contradictory signals. While Trump has spoken of peace and an imminent agreement, Iran has announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed following American attacks and has warned that vessels attempting to pass could become targets of attacks. There have also been reports that Iranian forces have prevented ships from passing through the strait without Tehran’s approval.

According to US and international media reports, the proposed settlement includes, among other things, an extended ceasefire, continued nuclear negotiations, and a gradual easing of some sanctions against Iran. Meanwhile, issues concerning Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium and frozen assets reportedly remain unresolved.

Oil prices dropped

Markets reacted quickly to Trump’s announcement. Oil prices dropped after investors began to anticipate a lower risk of disruptions to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important transport routes for oil and gas.

Despite Trump’s optimistic statements, uncertainty remains about whether a real breakthrough has been achieved. While the White House talks about a war that is basically over, Iran points out that no final agreement is yet in place.

The coming days’ diplomatic contacts are therefore expected to be decisive in determining whether the conflict moves toward a permanent solution or if tensions will once again escalate.