Thursday, May 28Thursday, May 28US and Iran edge toward deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz and curb uranium stockpiles, but final hurdles remain
Negotiators from the US and Iran have reached a preliminary agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and limit Tehran’s highly enriched uranium, though key disputes over frozen assets and nuclear verification threaten to derail the deal, officials said on Monday. The framework, described as "95% complete" by a senior Trump administration official, would extend a 60-day ceasefire and set a timeline for future nuclear talks—but falls short of a final settlement.
Iran has agreed in principle to dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which US President Donald Trump has dubbed "nuclear dust," according to a CNN report citing a senior administration official. The proposed arrangement follows a "No dust? No dollars" principle, with the US demanding strict verification measures before releasing any frozen Iranian assets. A separate Iranian source told CNN that the Strait of Hormuz is "already open" but requires coordination with Tehran to ensure safe transit—a claim that contrasts with earlier US assertions that the waterway remains restricted.
Despite progress, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei warned that "no one can claim we are close to reaching an agreement." While Baghaei acknowledged that "a large portion of the issues under discussion" have been resolved, he stressed that final approval from Tehran’s leadership is not imminent. Iran has also rejected any linkage between the release of its frozen assets and its nuclear program, insisting that funds must be unfrozen immediately upon any deal’s announcement. "If frozen assets are not released as a first step, a red line will have been crossed, and there will be no agreement," an Iranian source told the Tasnim News Agency.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that negotiators have agreed on a framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and initiate time-limited nuclear talks, but emphasized that "any deal still requires full Iranian acceptance and compliance." The Trump administration has framed the agreement as a trust-but-verify approach, with Rubio stating that Iran will either comply or face "another way"—a veiled threat of renewed military or economic pressure. However, skepticism runs deep on both sides. An Iranian source told Tasnim that Tehran "holds no optimism toward the US," citing past breaches of agreements, and will "closely monitor US actions" post-deal.
The proposed agreement excludes Iran’s missile program and broader uranium enrichment activities, deferring those issues to future negotiations within 30 to 60 days. If finalized, the deal would end the US blockade of Iranian ports—a key demand from Tehran—but leaves unresolved questions about the sequencing of sanctions relief and nuclear concessions. The war, which began in February 2026 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets, adding urgency to the talks.
Background tensions persist. Trump has assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US supports Israel’s "freedom of action against threats on all fronts," including Lebanon, signaling that regional security dynamics remain volatile even if a deal is struck. Meanwhile, GOP hawks in the US Congress have criticized the emerging framework as a "bailout" for Iran’s regime, arguing that concessions are being made before Tehran proves its compliance. The final text remains unsigned, with both sides acknowledging that days—or even weeks—of further negotiation may be needed.
> Background: **TRENDING — Trump delays Iran deal signing amid nuclear and Strait of Hormuz disputes** — *10 hours ago*
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US and Iran near deal to curb uranium stockpiles and reopen Strait of Hormuz
Middle East crisis live: Iran says progress made on many issues with US but warns deal not imminent Potential deal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening the strait of Hormuz and a plan for further nuclear talksUS and Iran inch closer to peace deal as Trump faces criticism from GOP hawksThe Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has been speaking at a news briefing about the contours of a potential deal with the US to end the war.It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion, he said. Continue reading...
theguardian · 3 days ago
JUST IN: 🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran says "no one can claim we are close to reaching an agreement with US." "We agreed on some points, but this does not mean we are signing an agreement soon." @BRICSNews
telegram bot · 3 days ago
#USA #Iran US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that negotiators have reached a framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin time-limited nuclear talks with Iran, but any deal still requires full Iranian acceptance and compliance. Subscribe to @OSINTdefender Chat room
telegram bot · 4 days ago
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇮🇷 US says Iran will either come to an agreement or it will be dealt with "another way." @BRICSNews
telegram bot · 4 days ago
🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱🇵🇰- According to a report from CNN, a senior Trump administration official claimed that the deal would commit Iran to giving up its highly enriched uranium, which Trump refers to as "nuclear dust," with the official summarizing the approach as "No dust? No dollars," adding that "this is trust but verify on steroids." ➡️ An Iranian source told CNN that the strait is "already open" but that coordination with Iranian authorities is required to ensure safe transit, while also stressing that "the most important thing for us is that the war must end for good in the whole Middle East." ➡️ Trump separately told Netanyahu he supports Israels right to "maintain freedom of action against threats on all fronts, including Lebanon," an Israeli official confirmed. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 4 days ago
US Officials Say Iran Deal Is 95 Done, But Not Ready for Signature The Trump administration says the US and Iran are closer to a nuclear agreement than at any point in recent years, even as senior officials insist a final deal is still days away and key details remain unresolved.
radio free europe · 4 days ago
Opinion | Will Trump Bail Out Irans Regime? The outlines of a 60-day framework agreement suggest U.S. concessions before a nuclear deal is signed.
wsj · 4 days ago
🇺🇸🇮🇷🇵🇰- According to the New York Times, the United States and Iran have agreed in principle to a deal that would wind down the war, though final approval from both sides could take days, a senior U.S. official said. ➡️ The deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and commit Iran to disposing of its highly enriched uranium, though how Iran would do so remains under negotiation. ➡️ The agreement acts as a preliminary framework for future negotiations, not a final settlement. Irans missile program and uranium enrichment are excluded from this deal, to be discussed later. Nuclear issues will be negotiated within 30 to 60 days post-agreement. ➡️ If certified, Trump said the U.S. would end its blockade of Iranian ports. The war, which began in late February with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has killed thousands, disrupted global energy markets, and proven broadly unpopular with the American public. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 4 days ago
JUST IN: 🇮🇷 Iran says it has not made any commitments on its nuclear program for a deal with the US. @BRICSNews
telegram bot · 4 days ago
🇮🇷❌🇮🇱- According to Tasnim News Agency, Iran has pushed back against Israeli news agency i24s reports claiming American officials said Iran would not receive any sanctions relief until it begins transferring its enriched uranium. Iran denies this linkage exists in the current text and refuses to connect the release of frozen assets to the nuclear issue at this stage. ➡️ Iran insists that a portion of its frozen assets must be released and fully accessible at the very moment any agreement is announced, citing past experiences of US non-compliance. The release of assets in the first step will not be conditional on nuclear materials, and the initial understanding should focus solely on ending the war. ➡️ Iran warned that if frozen assets are not released as a first step, a red line will have been crossed and there will be no agreement. The memorandum has not been finalized, partly due to U.S. obstruction on the asset release issue, and the possibility of no deal remains.
telegram bot · 4 days ago
🇮🇷❌🇺🇸- An informed source also told Tasnim that Iran holds no optimism toward the US, conducting all exchanges through the Pakistani mediator with deep skepticism. ➡️ While no final agreement has been reached and challenges remain, the source stressed that even if an initial understanding is achieved, it would not signal any change in Irans view of America or trust in US commitments. ➡️ Citing Americas poor track record in negotiations, the source warned that Iran will closely monitor US actions following any announcement and will retain its leverage to respond if the US fails to honor its commitments.
telegram bot · 4 days ago
JUST IN: 🇮🇷 Iran rejects linking release of its frozen assets to enriched nuclear materials. @BRICSNews
telegram bot · 4 days ago