What do you know about a possible US-Iranian deal to end the war?

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United States and Iran appear close again to reaching an agreement to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that reaching an agreement aimed at ending the war in the Middle East is closer than ever and is expected to be reached in its final form within 24 hours. Pakistan is preparing to electronically sign the agreement, followed by technical-level talks next week.

Read more: While officials once again say the Iran war may end soon, some of Trump’s goals have not been achieved

US President Donald Trump said the agreement “is scheduled to be signed tomorrow” and that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened immediately. But the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the signing would not take place on Sunday, leaving the possibility open for the coming days.

Previous statements about an imminent breakthrough did not materialize.

Iran exchanged fire with the United States and Israel earlier in the week, threatening to push the region back into full-scale war. The war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28 has shaken the region and effectively halted shipments of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 7.

Here’s what you should know:

The 60-day period will address the Iranian nuclear program

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that the conditions for dealing with the Iranian nuclear program will be finalized within 60 days after signing the initial agreement, and that the parties may decide to extend that period.

The United States and Israel fear that Iran’s nuclear program will lead to the production of a nuclear weapon, which is the main reason cited by their leaders for going to war. Tehran insists that its nuclear efforts are for peaceful purposes.

He watches: What do the United States and Iran demand in the latest peace proposal?

A senior US administration official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said on Friday that the emerging agreement would begin the process of destroying or removing Tehran’s highly enriched uranium.

The official said that a period of 60 days after the two sides signed the agreement would be used to work out the technical details for removing the uranium. The official did not say who the United States expects to take responsibility for removing the uranium, which is believed to be buried under three nuclear sites destroyed by US strikes last year.

The agreement will include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz

The US official said the emerging agreement includes provisions for reopening the Strait.

Araqchi said Iran wanted an agreement that would allow Tehran to collect fees from ships “in exchange for services provided” when they pass through the strait. Iran imposed a tariff system during the war, which the United States and other countries said violated international law.

He watches: Experts in the Middle East evaluate the prospects of the US-Iranian agreement

Transit through the strait, a vital shipping lane for oil and natural gas, has disrupted global energy supplies, spiked fuel prices and made food and other essentials such as fertilizer more expensive outside the region.

The agreement will include easing sanctions imposed on Iran

Three regional officials said the emerging agreement is expected to include the gradual lifting of sanctions on Iran and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

They said they expect a signing ceremony for the agreement in the coming days after officials in Washington and Tehran approve it.

What will happen to Lebanon is still unclear

Iran insists that any agreement must also include a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Friday that Israel can still act independently toward Iran and that the country will not withdraw from the areas it occupies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, nor will it withdraw from refugee camps in the northern Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Fighting continued in southern Lebanon on Saturday.

___

Weissert reported from Washington and Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Aamer Madhani in Washington and Ross Bynum in Savannah, Georgia.