The United States and Iran are reportedly close to signing a first-stage peace deal, though the two nations have provided conflicting timelines for the agreement. President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the deal is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, with Sharif noting it may be an electronic signing. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the signing will not occur tomorrow, though he did not rule out the possibility of it happening in the “coming days.” The proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) reportedly includes 14 points, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. These points include an end to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports. Araghchi also stated the MoU calls for an agreement not to initiate war or use force, and that frozen Iranian assets would be released upon signing. While Trump has characterized the deal as a “wall to no nuclear weapon,” Araghchi noted that the nuclear issue would be discussed in a second stage of negotiations. Market reactions in Iran have shown anticipation for the deal. On Sunday, the national currency strengthened, the Tehran Stock Exchange reached a new all-time high, and gold prices dropped. Despite these movements, some residents expressed skepticism, noting that long-term problems like inflation remain. Internally, Iran faces pushback from hardliners. Some officials and lawmakers have expressed opposition to the deal, with some claiming it would sacrifice military and political achievements. Simultaneously, the region remains volatile. Israel launched attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut, citing Hezbollah infrastructure as the target. In response to these strikes, Iran recently launched missile attacks on Israel and closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route. While Trump stated the strait would be “open to all” once the deal is signed, Iran maintains the waterway is in its territorial waters and is considering charging vessels for transit.