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Fact check: US-Iran peace deal draft finalized after Pakistan talks? What we know so far
Reports of a US-Iran peace deal mediated by Pakistan caused market confusion, but officials say no final agreement exists yet.
Amid the ongoing market crisis over the US-Iran war, a report on Thursday, May 21, sparked confusion. The report, from Saudi state-owned media outlet Al Arabiya, claimed, citing sources, that a peace deal between Iran and the United States and the Iran has been reached with mediation by Pakistan. The deal is expected to be announced soon, the report claimed.
According to Al Arabiya, "serious efforts" are underway to finalize a draft agreement. It claimed that Pakistan's army chief is expected to visit Iran in the next couple of days, and the final round of negotiations between the US and Iran will take place "after the Hajj season" in Islamabad. Many noted on social media that the confusion around the news even sparked swings in some markets.
Fact Check: Reality Behind Al Arabiya Report
The Al Arabiya report, shared as an X post on May 20, Wednesday, claimed that "may visit Iran tomorrow," i.e. Thursday, to announce that the final draft agreement has been completed." However, a senior Iranian official has told Reuters that talks are progressing, but no deal has been reached yet.
Additionally, no other major news agencies like CNN or BBC have confirmed the reports of a final deal. Tehran's Anadolu reports that Pakistan's interior minister, Asif Munir, is set to visit Tehran in the coming days for peace talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he was hopeful Pakistan delegation visit have "some good signs."
But there is no confirmation of a peace deal being finalized between the US and Iran, as of now. Many social media posts claiming that a draft deal has been finalized went viral.
Also read: Saudi Arabia suspends new consultancy contracts amid US-Iran war fallout: Report
On X, a Community Note was added underneath the post, noting that no draft has been finalized as of now.
The note read: “The report of a finalized US-Iran agreement originates from Al Arabiya citing unnamed sources, not Iranian state media as claimed. Iranian outlets like ISNA report the claim without confirmation of any final draft or imminent announcement.”
What The US Said On Peace Deal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the Pakistan delegation visiting Iran has "good signs", but the Iranian side still remains "fractured." Rubio, however, noted that anu toll system in the State of Hormuz will be "unacceptable."
"Hopeful about Pakistan delegation travelling to Tehran as part of efforts to advance Iran talks; there are ‘some good signs but Iranian system remains ‘fractured’," Rubio told reporters, adding that " any tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz would be unacceptable, illegal and make a diplomatic deal with Tehran unfeasible."
