President Donald Trump declared Saturday that the United States and Iran are nearing a diplomatic agreement, yet he simultaneously warned of an "ultimate alternative" should the negotiations falter. The vague ultimatum, delivered via social media, has drawn immediate scrutiny from experts who characterize the rhetoric as a thinly veiled nuclear threat.
The proposed deal, referred to as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, is currently being mediated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. While Sharif and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have expressed optimism regarding the proximity of a peace accord, the timeline remains fluid. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei tempered expectations on Saturday, noting that a signing would not occur immediately and urging caution due to perceived hesitation from the American side.Trump’s commentary also included a pledge to open the Strait of Hormuz to all international traffic upon the deal's finalization—a provision Iran has yet to publicly confirm. Analysts like Sina Toossi of the Center for International Policy view the president's language as part of a recurring pattern of intimidation. Since the onset of conflict in late February, Trump has frequently used inflammatory rhetoric regarding Iran’s civilian infrastructure, prompting warnings from legal scholars that such declarations may violate international law.
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