Negotiations between the United States and Iran to end a war that began three months ago are marked by uncertainty, denials, and pressure to announce progress. A senior White House official described a framework agreement that both sides allegedly signed, pending final approval by President Donald Trump. The framework reportedly includes a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, and begin talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran’s official outlets denied that any text has been finalized, shortly after further military skirmishes in the Persian Gulf. The White House avoided confirming the status. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the president’s view is decisive, noting Trump has previously reversed advances and retracted claims of a near-complete agreement.
"A senior White House official speaking on condition of anonymity announced on Thursday a framework agreement that Tehran shortly afterwards denied. According to that Washington source, both sides had signed off on a draft that only awaited final approval from U.S. President Donald Trump. That framework supposedly included a 60-day memorandum of understanding that would extend the current ceasefire for that period, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, and launch talks on Iran's nuclear program."
"But official outlets in Tehran deny that any text has been finalized, hours after a new round of military skirmishes in the Persian Gulf area. And the White House itself has avoided confirming exactly where things stand. We perhaps have the makings of a deal here Everything depends on what the president wants to do, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted on Thursday at the White House weekly briefing, refusing to be drawn either way."
"Trump has previously walked back advances approved by his team. In prior days the president boasted that he was not interested in a pact that only satisfied some of his demands, and that he was in no hurry to reach an understanding that did not fully satisfy him. Trump himself had even said late last weekend that an agreement between the two adversaries was practically done, only to retract that claim barely a day later."
"The semi-official Iranian agency Tasnim, for its part, published that Tehran has not told the Pakistani mediators that the memorandum is finalized, but that it will inform both the intermediaries and the public once it is. According to that account, Washington's claims that an agreement has been reached are false."
#us-iran-negotiations #ceasefire-extension #strait-of-hormuz #iran-nuclear-talks #diplomatic-uncertainty
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