Japan, S. Korea markets jump after Trump claims Iran deal reached

Japan's Nikkei share index soared more than four percent Friday after US President Donald Trump withdrew his threat of further strikes against Iran and said a deal to end the war could be signed in coming days.

At around 0030 GMT the Nikkei 225 was up 3.91 percent, after briefly jumping above four percent, while South Korea's benchmark Kospi index surged 7.80 percent. 

Trump's announcement fuelled a rally on Wall Street on Thursday and oil prices tumbled, although Iran's position was unclear, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei saying Tehran "had not reached a final conclusion on the agreement".

Claiming that talks with Iran had been "brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved," Trump said he had "cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening."

"Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly," he said.