Officials from the United States and Iran have publicly acknowledged progress on a potential agreement to end a months-long conflict, though both sides indicate key issues remain unresolved. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that a memorandum of understanding has been “largely negotiated,” a framework intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and establish a path toward a formal cessation of hostilities that began on Feb. 28.
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, President Trump stated the discussions involved the United States, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain. He described the proposal as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” and noted he had a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “went very well.”
According to a report from Reuters, citing unnamed sources, the proposed framework would be implemented in stages, beginning with an end to the war, followed by a resolution to the status of the Strait of Hormuz and a 30-day period for broader peace negotiations.
Axios, citing a U.S. official, reported the potential deal would permit Iran to sell oil freely in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iranian ports and waiving certain sanctions. The report added that the draft includes a commitment from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons. The New York Times, citing two U.S. officials, reported the draft also includes a commitment by Iran to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with details on the transfer to be determined later.
Iranian officials confirmed negotiations are taking place but have contradicted some details of the U.S. account. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the memorandum includes a roadmap to end the conflict and a U.S. waiver of oil sanctions during negotiations. However, the agency stated that Iran has not agreed to any actions regarding its nuclear program, and that the agreement outlines 30 days for procedures related to the Strait of Hormuz and 60 days for nuclear talks.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the proposal as a “framework agreement” whose details would be negotiated over the next 30 to 60 days. “The trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators,” Baghaei told Iran’s IRNA news agency.
Disagreements appear to center on two main issues: the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical channel for global oil shipments, has been a central point of contention. Iran’s Fars news agency reported the proposed deal would allow Iran to manage the waterway, a position it said was “inconsistent with reality” as described by President Trump. The U.S. has called for full freedom of navigation in the strait.
Regarding its nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel have demanded Iran halt all uranium enrichment. Iran has consistently stated its nuclear program is for civilian purposes and is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In March 2025, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence told Congress that intelligence agencies assessed Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.
