Trump: We reached a great deal to end the war with Iran, I understand Khamenei approved it

US President Donald Trump said on June 11 that a "great deal" had been reached with Iran that should end the three-month war and that he expected the agreement to be signed in the coming days, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reports.

"We just made a great deal to end the war with Iran," Trump told reporters at the White House.

He stated that the documents related to the agreement with Iran are "almost in final form" and that they "should be completed and signed soon."

Trump has cited Europe as a possible signing location.

"We reached an agreement that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, which was the main goal of everything we had to go through to get there. That's a really big deal," he said.

Trump also said that the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage that Iran has effectively closed since the war began on February 28, will be opened "as soon as the deal is signed."

He also said he had spoken with leaders in the region, including US allies in the Persian Gulf and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The entire Middle East is very pleased," Trump said.

Hopes have risen

Reuters reports that hopes that peace could be reached between Iran and the United States rose today after Trump said that a deal could be signed as early as this weekend, although Tehran said it had not yet made a final decision on the deal.

The agreement, if ratified, would represent the most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet toward ending the three-month war, which has killed thousands and sent global energy prices soaring after Iran virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.

Trump also said that US Vice President J.D. Vance would attend the signing of the agreement.

Asked whether Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the deal, Trump replied: "As far as I understand, the answer is yes."

Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly claimed that a deal with Iran to end the war is close. The two sides have traded blows this week, further straining the ceasefire announced in April.

Iranian media reported that Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghei said that large parts of the agreement had been finalized, but that Iran would not make concessions when it came to its red lines.

"We have not reached a final conclusion on this issue. This is a very important issue that is currently being considered by the relevant decision-making authorities," he said.

Markets rise despite tensions

Asian stocks joined a strong global rally today, buoyed by hopes that a peace deal could finally be reached, while oil prices fell to their lowest level in two months.

However, tensions over the Strait of Hormuz remained high. US forces shot down two Iranian drones intended for a one-off attack after Tehran tried to target merchant ships passing through the key waterway, a US official said, according to Reuters.

The Iranian military has stopped a tanker from passing through the strait, state media reported, citing explosions heard early this morning.

Trump's announcement came after he called off planned military strikes on Iran, citing progress in negotiations as the reason.

"It's a very strong memorandum of understanding that is somewhat conceptual in nature," Trump told reporters.

Trump has repeatedly stressed that any peace deal must guarantee that Iran will not be able to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies that it is pursuing such weapons.

Iran's demands include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz.

"The most important thing is that there will be no nuclear weapons in Iran. That means neither developed nor purchased," Trump said later during a campaign event held by phone.

Mutual blows

Earlier on Thursday, Trump said the US would "hit Iran very hard tonight" and ultimately wanted to take control of the oil hub on Kharg Island.

The conflict has become a political problem for the White House, as polls show Trump's approval ratings falling amid voter dissatisfaction with high fuel prices.

Some Republicans openly fear that the war's unpopularity could cost them control of Congress in the November midterm elections.

However, Trump must also be mindful of hardliners within the Republican Party, who have thwarted previous attempts at a deal and insist that any agreement would permanently close Tehran's path to developing nuclear weapons.

The reaction of other powers in the Middle East will also be crucial.

Trump announced on social media that the agreement had been approved by countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said after Netanyahu and Trump's talks that Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US.

According to a summary of the conversation, Netanyahu expressed gratitude for Trump's commitment to reaching an agreement that includes the removal of enriched nuclear material, dismantling enrichment infrastructure, limiting missile production and ending support for regional allied groups.

Tehran, on the other hand, demands an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon, where fighting continues in a parallel conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants.