Trump says US is close to signing a deal with Iran to end war

President Donald Trump said the US is close to signing a deal with Iran to wind down the war with an agreement to be signed potentially in Europe in the coming days.

Iran's foreign ministry confirmed the text of a deal was mostly finalised. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Thursday President Trump said the emerging deal is a "very strong memorandum of understanding" that he described a "a little conceptual."

So, Iran will essentially, most important paragraph to me, Iran will in no way shape or form have a nuclear weapon or purchase a nuclear weapon."

(Reporter) But is this just a concept of that agreement, when it comes to nuclear? You said this was just the concept of that agreement. So is this just essentially setting the stage for deeper talks on nuclear?"

Well, it's a very strong memorandum of understanding that is a little conceptual but it's something that's going to get done. And if it doesn't get done for any reason, which I can't imagine that not happening, they want to sign it as much as I do or more. I would say they want to sign it more, maybe a lot more, but it's a very detailed memorandum of understanding, also agreed to by many other countries that have great influence over them and everybody wants it done. So, it's going to get done.

Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a live phone call on Iran's state television Thursday that the text of a deal was mostly finalised. He said mediators were active but nothing had been finalised to end the conflict that began February 28 when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran.

This as head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission Ebrahim Azizi said that his country will deliver a "decisive, crushing, painful, and regret-inducing response" to threats from President Trump.

Azizi said Trump was delusional and has no accomplishments to speak of since the war with Iran began.

Meanwhile the United Nations Secretary-General urged the US and Iran to continue following the ceasefire and prevent the war from escalating to neighbouring countries.

STEPHANE DUJARRIC, UN spokesperson for the Secretary-General said, "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by continuing escalation in the Middle East, including by strikes by the United States on Iran and the strikes by Iran on neighbouring countries in the Gulf and beyond? that are not parties to the conflict?and significant increase in hostile rhetoric.? He urges the parties to return to the full implementation of the ceasefire, to avoid any further deterioration, which, as he told the Security Council yesterday, could trigger a full resumption of the conflict with unpredictable consequences? for the region and the world, especially the most vulnerable countries."