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

Oil prices fell Friday as investors reacted to growing expectations that the United States and Iran could soon reach an agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

The U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude settled below $85 a barrel, down nearly 4% on the day.

International benchmark Brent crude also moved lower, trading below $87 a barrel late Friday after declining roughly 3%.

Oil prices have retreated sharply from highs reached earlier in the conflict, when fears of prolonged disruptions to energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz drove prices above $110 a barrel.

The decline comes as Trump administration officials and Iranian leaders continue signaling that negotiations are nearing a potential agreement.

Retired Brig. Gen. John Teichert said Friday that a proposed agreement between the United States and Iran gives reason for both optimism and caution, arguing that Tehran must demonstrate compliance before receiving any benefits.

Speaking on "America Reports," Teichert said he supports the performance-based structure described by Trump administration officials, which would tie sanctions relief to Iranian actions rather than promises.

"I think it's okay to be both hopeful and skeptical here, because we are dealing with Iran," Teichert said.

Teichert pointed to reported provisions that would require Iran to destroy and remove nuclear material, dismantle its nuclear program, keep the Strait of Hormuz open and stop funding terrorist groups before receiving economic relief.

He also argued that the United States should retain the ability to respond forcefully if Iran backtracks on its commitments or attempts to delay implementation of the agreement.

"I think that gives the Iranians the incentive to stick to a deal," Teichert said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday offered new details about a proposed memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, saying nuclear issues would be addressed during a second phase of negotiations lasting 60 days.

Speaking to Iranian state television, Araghchi said the proposed agreement contains 14 articles and has not yet been signed. He also said reports circulating about the contents of the deal should not be considered definitive.

According to Araghchi, the first phase of the agreement focuses on ending the conflict and includes commitments by Iran and the United States not to interfere in each other's internal affairs.

Araghchi said the proposed deal also includes provisions aimed at ending fighting in both Iran and Lebanon.

He accused Israel of attempting to undermine the negotiations and reiterated Iran's support for Hezbollah, saying the group would not be forgotten in any future agreement.

Araghchi also said that if negotiators complete the final stage of talks, the agreement would be signed remotely by both sides before being formally announced.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Gulf allies are backing President Donald Trump’s blockade and economic pressure campaign against Iran, telling Fox News Digital after a trip to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom that regional leaders believe Tehran is feeling the pain.

Waltz spoke to Fox News Digital on Thursday evening shortly after landing back in the United States, as reports of a possible deal with Iran began to emerge. He said the situation was still shifting by the hour, noting that Iran had launched another strike on Bahrain shortly after he left the region.

Waltz, the highest-level U.S. official to visit the region since the war began, said Gulf partners strongly support the administration’s efforts to keep pressure on Iran through both the blockade and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s "Operation Economic Fury."

"They very much support the blockade," Waltz said, adding that allies shared with him "in a number of ways" how Bessent’s economic campaign is affecting the regime. The pressure campaign, Waltz said, is designed to squeeze Tehran while Trump continues negotiations aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

On Friday, an unnamed U.S. official told reporters in a briefing: "We do expect to be signing this agreement with Iran over the next few days. We assess it at 85%, but not 100%. We feel very good about the deal. We are not quite at the finish line, but we are very close."

Waltz said, "The UAE, in particular, believes that you have to keep that pressure and a very credible pressure," he told Fox News Digital. "That’s what the Iranians understand and respond to."

Waltz said leaders in the region validated U.S. assessments that Iran’s economy is deteriorating under the combined weight of sanctions, military pressure and isolation. He said Iran’s currency is "tanking," foreign currency reserves are running out, inflation is continuing to rise and the regime is struggling to pay the military, government employees and police.

"I think the regime is going to be increasingly desperate," Waltz said, adding that Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio , Scott Bessent, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would use that pressure "to their advantage."

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter.

Fifteen members of Iran's soccer federation have been denied visas to attend the country's World Cup matches in the United States, according to Reuters.

Mahdi Mohammad Nabi, Iran's World Cup team supervisor, told Reuters that he is among the federation officials who have been unable to secure permission to travel to the tournament.

"We hope Mr. Infantino will indeed implement the words and promises he made to the Iran national team," Nabi told Reuters.

The Iranian team remains scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States.

According to Reuters, the State Department said the visas were denied because the U.S. "will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the US under false pretenses."

The United Arab Emirates has already delivered roughly $3 billion to Iran and agreed to release billions more under an arrangement aimed at stopping Iranian attacks on the Gulf state, according to a Reuters report.

Two regional sources told Reuters that the UAE agreed to release a total of $10 billion, with more than $3 billion already delivered. Two other sources put the total amount involved at $20 billion.

The report said the arrangement was reached in exchange for Iran halting missile and drone attacks targeting the UAE.

Reuters said it could not determine whether the funds came from Emirati money or from Iranian assets that had been frozen in the UAE banking system or elsewhere.

A UAE official told Reuters that Abu Dhabi's goal is to ease regional tensions and promote stability.

The reported arrangement comes after months of hostilities between Iran and several Gulf states as fighting spread across the region.

A senior Trump administration official said Friday that a proposed agreement with Iran would set in motion a process aimed at destroying and removing Tehran's enriched nuclear material from the country, according to The Times of Israel.

"It leads to the United States getting the enriched material," the official said during a call with reporters, according to the outlet. "We provide in the agreement that this material would be destroyed on site, and then taken out of the country."

The official described the memorandum of understanding as a framework that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend the current ceasefire while U.S. and Iranian negotiators hold technical talks on dismantling Tehran's nuclear program.

According to The Times of Israel, the official said Iran would not receive any immediate economic benefits upon signing the agreement. Instead, sanctions relief and other incentives would be tied to Tehran meeting its obligations under the deal.

The official also pushed back on reports from Iranian state media regarding the contents of the agreement, arguing that public descriptions circulating in Tehran do not accurately reflect the terms under discussion.

U.S. Central Command said Friday that American forces have redirected 139 commercial vessels and disabled nine ships since the blockade against Iran began on April 13.

"U.S. forces continue to strictly enforce the blockade against Iran," CENTCOM wrote on X.

The military said the 139 redirected vessels complied with instructions issued by U.S. forces operating in the region. CENTCOM added that nine "non-compliant" vessels have been disabled since the start of the operation.

The updated figures mark an increase from the 136 redirected ships CENTCOM reported earlier Friday, indicating maritime enforcement operations remain active as tensions persist in the region.

The blockade has coincided with ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran over a potential agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and dismantle Iran's nuclear program. U.S. officials have said no sanctions relief or release of frozen assets would occur until Iran fulfills its obligations under any final deal.

CENTCOM has repeatedly emphasized that U.S. forces remain positioned to protect commercial shipping and maintain freedom of navigation in regional waterways despite continued threats from Iran and its proxies.

Iranian MP Mahmoud Nabavian criticized the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement Friday, offering a glimpse of the domestic opposition the deal could face inside Iran as officials signal negotiations are nearing completion.

Nabavian said the latest draft is more damaging to Iran than two previous versions and requires greater concessions from Tehran.

"After seeing the text of the agreement, I must say that compared with the two previous versions, it is more damaging and Iran’s retreats have also increased," he said.

The criticism comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. officials have signaled that negotiations are approaching the finish line.

Nabavian also attacked Iranian negotiators, sharing a screenshot of President Donald Trump reposting Araghchi's recent comments that an agreement had "never been closer."

"An agreement cooked up by the architects of the disgraceful JCPOA is certainly pure loss," Nabavian wrote, invoking a common criticism among opponents of the 2015 nuclear deal.

The comments come as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials have all suggested that a framework to end the conflict could be finalized soon.

The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that “in recent times, more than 10 Hezbollah field commanders who led the organization's terrorists in fighting against IDF forces and the State of Israel have been eliminated.” 

Among them was Hajj Salameh, the commander of Hezbollah’s Nasser unit, based in southern Lebanon. 

“Within less than two months of his elimination, the IDF eliminated his two replacements one after the other: Mehdi Bazzi and Ashraf Saloum,” it also said. 

The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group has been launching attacks on Israel in recent weeks, prompting responses from Israel’s military. 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday that "a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached" between the U.S. and Iran.

“Amid ongoing intense mediation efforts by Pakistan, we are fully aware of incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal. Setting aside the noise, we can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps,” Sharif wrote on X. "Peace has never been this close as it is now."

In his message, Sharif tagged the accounts of President Donald Trump and the U.S. and Iranian negotiators. 

Pakistan has played a key role in U.S.-Iran talks, hosting a delegation led by Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad in April. 

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.

President Donald Trump on Friday ripped Iranian media reports about a potential deal to end the war, adding that the regime in Tehran better “get their act together. 

“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.  

“Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING! Also, their totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together, and FAST!” he added. 

Iranian state media earlier Friday shared purported details of the possible memorandum of understanding that could be signed with the U.S., according to Reuters. 

It cited the IRNA news agency as saying that under the agreement, Iran would make no commitment regarding the transfer of the management of the Strait of Hormuz.  

Instead, the future administration of the Strait reportedly would be decided through dialogue and joint decision-making between Iran and Oman, a country in close proximity to the area.

The IRNA news agency added that discussions about the future of Iran’s nuclear program would take place within a 60-day period after the agreement is signed, Reuters added. 

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.