Trump to talk with allies at G7 summit in the coming week about removing mines from the Strait of Hormuz as deal to end Iran war nears

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to discuss plans to demine the Strait of Hormuz with allies during next week’s Group of Seven summit in France, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday, as mediators said an agreement to end the war was close. Britain and France, who are both members of the G7, have expressed interest in assisting with demining the critical waterway once the conflict is paused. The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity on ground rules set by the White House, said Trump also plans to meet on the sideline of the summit with the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to discuss efforts to wind down the Iran war. The summit begins Monday. Separately, Iran’s state-run television announced Saturday that funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneiwill take place in July. Pakistan says a deal to end the war is imminent Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a deal aimed at ending the war was closer than “ever before” and expected to be finalized within 24 hours. Pakistan was preparing for the electronic signing of the agreement, to be followed immediately by technical-level talks next week. In a post on X, Sharif said: “We would like to thank United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran for their ongoing commitment during the negotiations, and we extend our sincere appreciation to our brothers in the region for their support.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment, and Iran signaled caution. “Although it will not happen tomorrow, the possibility that it could take place in the coming days cannot be ruled out,” foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement carried by state TV. Baghaei added that the Islamabad memorandum under discussion was focused on ending the war and “at this stage, it has been decided that there will be no discussion of the nuclear issue.” Iran’s nuclear program and highly enrich