The United States and Iran are set to enter final negotiations focused on nuclear and economic issues, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported Friday.
According to the report, a draft memorandum of understanding between the two sides includes ending the U.S. blockade, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting oil sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian funds and a U.S. commitment to withdraw forces from areas surrounding Iran.
The discussions will not include Iran's ballistic missile program, according to Mehr. The report said the draft agreement still requires approval from the relevant authorities.
The deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war with Iran includes a total cessation of hostilities in Lebanon and Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, the Hezbollah-linked Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Friday.
Smoke rises from the site of a string of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Thursday.Credit: Abbas Fakuh/AFP
Smoke rises from the site of a string of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Thursday.Credit: Abbas Fakuh/AFP
The U.S. confirmed to Iranian officials that Lebanon would be included in the agreement, which stipulates ending the state of war across the Gulf and the region, the report said. According to the report, the deal includes a guarantee to halt to all Israeli demolition and bulldozing operations and a prisoner sawp.
According to the report, the breakthrough in talks occured Thursday through a Qatari channel supervised by Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Citing well informed sources, Al-Akhbar said the agreement was reached through a high-ranking Iranian official who traveled to Qatar and a high-level Trump envoy.
"The U.S. President said that the U.S.-Iranian understandings have the approval of all parties and the support of brotherly and friendly countries, including Qatar," Al Thani said, adding that Trump "confirmed the continuation of efforts to complete the final procedures in preparation for announcing the arrangements for signing the agreement."
On Thursday, CNN quoted Trump as saying the U.S. had "ended the war" with Iran.
"I don't know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today," Trump reportedly said on a telerally supporting Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones, who is running for governor. "They have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon, something that we insisted on; that was the whole purpose. That was 95 percent of it."
A pro-Israel, anti-BDS protest outside the Park Slope Food Coop in New York on Thursday.Credit: Yona Roberts GoldingA pro-Israel, anti-BDS protest outside the Park Slope Food Coop in New York on Thursday.Credit: Yona Roberts Golding
Roughly 60 people gathered outside the Park Slope Food Co-op in Brooklyn on Thursday to protest the community's recent controversial vote to remove Israeli products from their shelves.
The decision resulted from a vote at a members' meeting last month, held over Zoom due to security concerns. It was put forward by the co-op's Members for Palestine faction, which called for the removal of Israeli-made products from store shelves until Israel complies with international law regarding Palestinians.
Opponents, including a group of members Coop4Unity, which lobbied to prevent the boycott from going into effect, argue the measure has created an increasingly hostile atmosphere for Jewish members and risks importing broader political battles into the co-op's communal culture.
U.S. forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones as Tehran appeared to attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday, in the latest clashes between the two nations.
"Traffic flow through the strait continues," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
More than 60 congressional Democrats demanded the Trump administration take immediate action to alleviate the humanitarian crisis facing cancer patients in Gaza.
The lawmakers – led by Reps. Jim McGovern, Madeleine Dean and Maxine Dexter alongside Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ed Markey – called on the administration to press the Israeli government to reestablish a medical corridor that would allow Palestinian cancer patients in Gaza to obtain life-saving medical care in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
They also demanded that the administration ensure hospitals and medical infrastructure in Gaza are rebuilt and protected.
"Cancer diagnoses have become death sentences in Gaza," wrote the lawmakers, highlighting a six-year-old boy named Ghazal, who was diagnosed with leukemia and died while waiting for his evacuation request to be approved by Israel.
The lawmakers noted that more than 18,500 Palestinians require urgent medical care that is unavailable in Gaza, including approximately 11,000 cancer patients.
Beyond the primary demands, they urged the U.S. government to coordinate efforts with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, as well as to obtain assurances from the Israeli government that evacuated patients and caregivers will be permitted to return to Gaza once they are able.
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that the United States had "ended the war" with Iran, according to CNN.
"I don't know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today," Trump reportedly said on a telerally supporting Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones, who is running for governor. "They have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon, something that we insisted on; that was the whole purpose. That was 95 percent of it."
Iranian forces prevented a tanker from transiting the Strait of Hormuz without coordination, state media reported early on Friday.
Iranian media earlier reported sounds of explosions near Bandar Abbas, but state news agency IRNA later said no explosions had been reported in the port city and that any sounds could have been related to military activity in maritime areas.
Iran's top joint military command announced on Thursday the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, including oil tankers and commercial ships, saying any vessel that will attempt passage will be shot at.
Iranian media also reported explosion sounds off the coast of Sirik.
A military source told state media that the sounds heard near Sirik were linked to Iranian forces confronting an oil tanker attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker later complied with the ban on transit after receiving warnings from the IRGC Navy, the source said.
■ U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States "just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," which is "subject to finalization of documents which should get done over the next few days," without specifying the details of an agreement, while speaking at the Oval Office.
■ Trump said he canceled planned strikes on Iran following discussions with the "highest level of Iranian leadership."
■ Israeli forces are currently positioned a few kilometers from southern Lebanon's main Shiite city of Nabatieh and awaiting a decision from the political leadership on whether to expand the operation toward Hezbollah strongholds, security sources said.
■ Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša's administration announced that it will repeal economic and security sanctions against Israel that were imposed by the previous government.
■ Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters blocked major interchanges in central Israel as part of demonstrations against mandatory military conscription and the arrest of draft dodgers.
■ Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that "the Israeli side is being stubborn in negotiations and is not presenting a clear plan," speaking to Reuters.
■ An IDF strike on a residential building near Hiram Hospital in southern Lebanon's Tyre killed one and wounded 17, including 10 nurses and hospital staff, the Lebanese News Agency reported. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, 15 people were killed and 70 wounded in the last 24 hours; the death toll has reached 3,711 killed and 11,483 wounded since fighting began on March 2.
