'Either we sign a deal or hit them harder': Trump says Iran deal has '50/50' chances

Amid the ongoing Iran war, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he would meet with negotiators later in the day to discuss Tehran's latest offer and that a final decision on whether to resume military action would likely be taken on Sunday.

Speaking to Axios, Trump said that it was a 'solid 50/50' as to whether the United States would be able to secure a 'good' agreement with Iran or instead 'blow them to kingdom come.'





"I think one of two things will happen: either I hit them harder than they have ever been hit, or we are going to sign a deal that is good," Trump told Axios.

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The remarks came amid intense diplomatic efforts involving multiple Middle Eastern countries to broker a ceasefire and broader understanding between Washington and Tehran after weeks of escalating conflict.

According to Axios, Trump was expected to hold discussions later on Saturday with key advisers including special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Vice President JD Vance to review Iran's latest response and decide the next course of action.

The latest draft proposal reportedly emerged after mediation efforts led by Pakistan. Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been acting as an intermediary between the parties, left Tehran on Saturday after meeting senior Iranian officials.

Pakistan later stated that there had been 'encouraging progress toward a final understanding', although no final agreement had yet been reached.

Regional mediators including Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have been conducting multiple rounds of talks over the past 24 hours in an attempt to bridge differences between Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and US negotiators.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson also confirmed on Saturday that Tehran and Washington were in the final stages of discussions on a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.

The proposed agreement reportedly includes the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, easing of the US blockade on Iran and the release of frozen Iranian funds. The spokesperson added that a 30-to-60-day negotiation period on a broader and more detailed agreement would follow.

However, key sticking points remain unresolved. Trump has insisted that any final deal must address uranium enrichment and the future of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said there had been 'some progress' in the talks but reiterated that Iran 'can never have a nuclear weapon' and that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened 'without tolls.'

The ongoing negotiations have reportedly exposed divisions among US allies and advisers. Senator Lindsey Graham told Axios that some regional leaders had urged Trump to launch stronger military strikes against Iran to weaken the regime and secure better terms, while others warned that attacking Iran further could destabilise Gulf oil infrastructure and threaten shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Also Read | Iran agrees to give up enriched uranium as deal with Donald Trump 'largely negotiated': Report

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials are reportedly in close contact with the White House regarding the emerging deal.

While Trump described Netanyahu as 'torn', Israeli officials have expressed concerns over the terms currently under discussion and reportedly pushed for another round of military strikes.

In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump announced that an agreement had been 'largely negotiated' between the United States, Iran and several allied nations.

In the post, Trump said he had held a 'very good call' with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain regarding what he described as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE.”

"An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed," Trump wrote.



He also revealed that he had separately spoken with Netanyahu and said the conversation had gone 'very well'.

Trump added that the final aspects of the agreement were still being discussed and would be announced shortly. He also indicated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would form a key part of the deal.

The diplomatic breakthrough comes after months of escalating tensions and military pressure in the region. US Central Command recently announced that it had redirected around 100 commercial vessels during a maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports as part of efforts to economically pressure Tehran.