Trump accuses Iran of leaking agreement details that 'bear no relation to the truth'

A deal with the US to end fighting in Iran has "never been closer", Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been mediating between the warring sides, echoed Araghchi's statement, saying "a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps".

US President Donald Trump reposted Araghchi's statement, which also asked the media not to speculate about the content of the deal.

Iranian media have published details of the alleged deal, prompting Trump to say they had "nothing to do with the terms that were agreed to" and "bears no relation to the truth".

Trump accused Tehran of leaking the details and added that they were "very dishonorable people to deal with".

On Thursday, the US president said he had cancelled "scheduled attacks" against Iran, because negotiators had "just made a great settlement" - a deal that was likely be to signed imminently.

Trump has repeatedly talked up the prospects of a deal to end hostilities that began with wide-ranging US and Israeli strikes across Iran on 28 February.

Iran responded with attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf - as well as effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.

Despite having agreed a ceasefire in April, the US and Iran have exchanged intermittent fire, including two rounds of tit-for-tat strikes this week.

Israel is not involved in the talks which have been mostly mediated by Pakistan and are meant to lead to an extension of the ceasefire and the start of negotiations on key issues, including Iran's nuclear programme. For decades, Iran has been accused by Western countries of trying to build a nuclear weapon. It has denied the accusations saying its programme is for peaceful purposes - to generate electricity and for research purposes.

The reported details included the lifting of a US naval blockade and "at least $300bn (£223bn)" to address the damage caused by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The alleged contents of the deal said Iran wanted a final agreement to be endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution.

"The final agreement shall be limited to issues concerning the future of enriched materials and enrichment activities, sanctions relief, and the programme for rebuilding Iran's economy," it said.

It added that "final negotiations shall not begin until half of Iran's frozen assets have been released, Iranian oil sanctions have been suspended, and the naval block