Trump blasts leaked Iranian deal terms, 'very dishonorable' negotiators

Vice President JD Vance said Friday that a deal being finalized between the U.S. and Iran “has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace.”

“I'm seeing a lot of fake information about a potential deal to reopen the Strait and end Iran's nuclear weapons program. First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” Vance wrote on X.

“The deal is structured to ensure that the U.S. and its allies concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region,” he continued.

“I've noticed a couple of bizarre things in the reporting over the last few hours. First, people who (rightly) said Donald Trump was a historic president a month ago now criticizing a deal based on unconfirmed media reports. Second, people who say you can't trust a word said by the IRGC [Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] who apparently believe anonymously sourced social media posts,” Vance added.

“The president is going to get us a good outcome, one way or the other,” he declared.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that reaching a memorandum of understanding to end the war “has never been closer.” 

“Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content. In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be shared with the public in due course,” Araghchi wrote on X. 

The comments came as President Donald Trump ripped Iranian media reports about a potential deal to end the war. 

“The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing. What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

The U.S. has hit back against threats to now block another Middle East waterway by Iranian terror proxy, the Houthis.

Earlier this week, the group declared a complete ban on Israeli-owned ships using the Red Sea, declaring them to be "legitimate targets."

The Red Sea and the waterway through its narrow Bab-el Mandeb Strait has become the main route for oil to ship out of the Middle East to Asia since the Strait of Hormuz has effectively stopped functioning as the main route of navigation for shipping.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree posted on Monday, "We declare a complete and total ban on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, and we consider all enemy movements to be legitimate targets."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a State Department spokesperson struck back: "The escalatory actions of Iran and their Houthi proxies are unacceptable. These dangerous actions only serve to further enflame tensions and further disrupt global supply chains. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz." 

U.S. Central Command announced Friday that 136 commercial ships have been redirected during a blockade on Iranian ports. 

“U.S. Navy warships and air assets continue to patrol regional waters enforcing the blockade against Iran,” CENTCOM wrote on X. 

CENTCOM added that 9 ships have been disabled during the blockade, which began in mid-April. 

A White House official revealed to Fox News on Friday that Iran has agreed to a “performance based deal” that contains multiple components. 

"This is what they agreed to. This is a performance-based deal,” the official said. 

The official described that under the deal, Iran’s nuclear program will be dismantled and their nuclear material will be destroyed and removed. 

The Strait of Hormuz will reopen, Iran will no longer fund terrorist groups and none of Tehran’s frozen assets will be released until the regime performs, the official added. 

Fox News' Aishah Hasnie contributed to this post.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Friday that "As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel – Iran will not have nuclear weapons.” 

Netanyahu said in a statement that he and President Donald Trump are in “full agreement” on that issue. 

“For over 30 years, I have been at the forefront of the international struggle against Iran's nuclear program,” Netanyahu said. “Were it not for this struggle, Iran would have long ago possessed atomic bombs to destroy Israel.” 

“Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state, and I am dedicating my life to preventing them from doing so,” he added. “As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen." 

Fox News' Simon Owen contributed to this post.

Hudson Institute senior fellow Rebeccah Heinrichs told “Fox & Friends First” on Friday that the U.S. must continue to use force against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and that she’s “not confident” a memorandum of understanding will be signed with the regime. 

“I think President Trump has been exactly right that you use military force for diplomatic purposes and I think that the only way we are actually going to get any progress here is if we force our way through the Strait,” Heinrichs said. 

She added that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) “continues to fire at us, we fire back and yes, degrade their air defenses, degrade a lot of their radar, but from my perspective, that’s the way forward.” 

“We just keep doing what we have been doing and potentially bring in more allies to help us do it, but I do not see a deal in which we are actually asking the IRGC to permit us through, I think we have to continue what we have been doing and force our way through to get oil flowing through the strait,” Heinrichs said. 

She also told Fox News that she is “not confident” that the U.S. will sign a memorandum of understanding with Tehran. 

“We have seen this before where the administration certainly tries to push the momentum to get a deal. But because the administration has been very clear that there is not going to be any money released to the regime and that the United States is not going to lift the blockade until the IRGC demonstrates it will let ships through the Strait without harassing them and shooting at them, and until the Iran regime... commits to full dismantlement of its nuclear program, that the United States isn’t going to remove any U.S. forces from the region at all,” Heinrichs said. 

“Because of those red lines that President Trump has been so consistent on, I do not see anybody in the Iran regime willing to make that deal and having the ability to enforce it and control the IRGC,” she added. “Remember, the IRGC is still shooting at U.S. forces in the region. They just shot down an Apache helicopter with Americans in it, thankfully they were safe and sound, we were able to rescue them without harm. But I am not confident that this deal is going to happen and if there is a deal I don’t think it’s going to be worth the paper it’s on.”

U.S. Central Command said the Strait of Hormuz remains “opens for transit” as the U.S. and Iran are working to finalize an agreement to end the war. 

CENTCOM wrote on X Thursday that “Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz” and that American forces are “postured to defend against Iranian aggression.” 

The comments came before Iran apparently attempted to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday night, prompting the U.S. military to shoot down two Iranian one-way attack drones, a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News. 

CENTCOM said prior to the incident that “safe pathways are established for commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz” and hundreds of ships have passed through the area in the last two months. 

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this post. 

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that the text of a deal with the United States to end the conflict is “mostly finalized.” 

Baghaei made the comment during a phone call broadcast on Iranian state television, according to The Associated Press. 

"The problem is that the contradictions in America’s position have caused turbulence to this process,” he reportedly added. 

President Donald Trump said Thursday that negotiators are nearing an agreement and suggested a signing ceremony could take place in Europe as soon as this weekend. 

"We have a signing soon," Trump said, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen once the agreement is finalized. 

A source told Reuters on Friday that the deal could possibly be signed on Sunday, with Geneva emerging as a potential venue for the event. 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and The Associated Press contributed to this post. 

The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that it hit dozens of targets in an area of southern Lebanon described as a “significant Hezbollah stronghold.” 

The IDF announced that during the operation in Dabin, “50+ targets were struck, dozens of terrorist infrastructures were dismantled, significant weapons storage facilities were located, and terrorists were struck and eliminated from the air.” 

“This area served as a significant Hezbollah stronghold used to advance and prepare terrorist attack plans and anti-tank fire against IDF troops and Israeli civilians,” the IDF added on X. 

The Hezbollah terrorist group, based in Lebanon, is backed by Iran. 

Over the past week, 310 Hezbollah targets were hit and 80 terrorists were eliminated, according to the IDF.

Commercial shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz came under apparent threat Thursday night after Iran launched drones toward vessels transiting the strategic waterway, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

The incident occurred as President Donald Trump continued to express optimism about a pending agreement with Tehran and repeatedly declared that the conflict had effectively come to an end.

"It appears Iran has attempted to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz tonight," the official said. "U.S. forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones."

The official said maritime traffic through the Strait continues despite the attempted attacks.

The development comes hours after Trump said a deal with Iran could be signed within days and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen as part of the agreement.

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said Thursday that a deal to end the conflict with Iran is nearly complete, adding that negotiators are finalizing documents and could sign an agreement in Europe within days.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump declared that negotiators had reached a breakthrough and suggested the agreement was largely finished pending completion of final paperwork.

"We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," Trump said. "The documents are in pretty final shape, so we'll see. It should be done pretty quickly."

Trump said the agreement would ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, which he described as the central objective of the administration's pressure campaign against Tehran.

The president also said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen once the agreement is signed, potentially easing pressure on global energy markets after weeks of military tensions and maritime disruptions in the region.

Trump added that Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the signing ceremony, which he said could take place in Europe as soon as this weekend.

A proposal to seize Iran's strategically important Kharg Island would be abandoned if Tehran signs a pending agreement with the U.S., according to comments made by President Donald Trump Thursday in the Oval Office.

Less than a day after emerging as one of the most aggressive ideas floated during the conflict, the plan now appears unlikely to move forward as negotiations advance toward a potential deal.

"It would be. If we sign this agreement,"  Trump said when asked whether the Kharg Island plan was now off the table.

Earlier Thursday, Trump described taking the island as a preferred outcome and argued the U.S. could assume control of Iranian oil and gas markets through such a move.

Kharg Island serves as Iran's primary oil export terminal and has become a central focus of the administration's pressure campaign against Tehran.

Yesterday's Fox News Digital liveblog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.