Media: US-Iran draft deal nears finalisation amid Pakistan-mediated talks

A final draft of a possible agreement between the United States and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, could be announced within hours, according to Al Arabiya sources.

The reported draft agreement includes provisions for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire across land, sea, and air, as well as mutual commitments by both sides not to target military, civilian, or economic infrastructure.

According to the reported terms, the agreement would also require an end to military operations and media hostilities, while reaffirming commitments to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal affairs.

The draft guarantees freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman — waterways that have become central to regional tensions and global energy security concerns.

Other provisions include the creation of a joint mechanism to monitor implementation and resolve disputes, with negotiations on unresolved issues expected to begin within seven days of the agreement taking effect.

The proposal also reportedly outlines a gradual lifting of U.S. sanctions in exchange for Iran’s compliance with the deal’s terms and reaffirms adherence to international law and the United Nations Charter.

According to Al Arabiya, the agreement would enter into force immediately once officially announced by both sides.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on May 21 that negotiations had shown encouraging developments, although significant issues remained unresolved.

“There’s some good signs,” Rubio told reporters. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic ... So, let’s see what happens over the next few days.”

Rubio added that a lasting agreement would not be possible if Iran implemented a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively restricted to most shipping since the outbreak of conflict on February 28.

A senior Iranian source also told Reuters that differences between the two sides had narrowed, though uranium enrichment and the future status of the strait remained among the key sticking points

By Sabina Mammadli