Iran’s Mehr news agency reported on Friday that a draft agreement with the United States could lead to the release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets within 60 days.
Citing a source close to Iran’s negotiating team, the agency said the proposed accord would allow these funds to be freed during the “60‑day final negotiation period,” with half of the money made available to Iran even before talks officially begin. According to Mehr, the memorandum of understanding also calls for an immediate and permanent halt to hostilities across all fronts, including in Lebanon.
State media in Iran noted that the country’s nuclear program would be part of those 60‑day discussions with Washington.
Earlier Friday, Tehran said it had not yet reached a final decision on a deal to end the conflict in the Middle East. This came despite US President Donald Trump asserting that an agreement could be signed within days and that he had already canceled planned military strikes on Iran.
Trump claimed that negotiations had “reached the highest level of Iranian leadership and been approved,” adding that he had halted scheduled attacks on Iran that evening. He said the details of the arrangement had been accepted by the United States and its regional partners, including Israel, which joined Washington in launching the war in February. “Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” he said.
However, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated that Tehran had “not reached a final conclusion on the agreement.” He explained that while most of the text had been finalized, complications arose when the United States introduced new demands and shifted its positions.
Tasnim news agency pointed out that Trump had announced an imminent deal 38 times over the previous two months. It cautioned that until Iran itself confirms any understanding, Trump’s statements should be treated like his earlier declarations.
Later, Trump again insisted progress was real, telling reporters he believed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had approved the deal.
Following a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump, Netanyahu’s office clarified that Israel was not a party to the memorandum of understanding with Iran. The statement said Netanyahu appreciated Trump’s commitment to securing an agreement that would include removing enriched material from Iran, dismantling enrichment facilities, restricting missile production, and ending support for regional proxy groups.
