Iran, U.S. Narrow Differences Over Nuclear Weapons, Passage of Ships Through Strait

Keeping global investors, foreign policy analysts, and regional partners on the edge of their seats, President Trump said a peace deal with Iran could be announced as early as Sunday, but as the day wore on without a settlement, many observers have begun questioning whether an agreement was further from where it started earlier in the weekend. Widely leaked details about a “memorandum of understanding,” accompanied by a flurry of activity in Washington on Saturday, suggested that a deal was near that would include Iran turning over its enriched uranium and an end to its nuclear weapons pursuits in exchange for waivers of oil sanctions and the release of billions of dollars in frozen funds and assets. The U.S. military would remain in the proximity of the Strait of Hormuz for 30 days to leave the military option viable if a nuclear deal falls apart.But as the world awaited word of a final deal, Iran’s media outlet, Tasnim, said the country “is not willing to tie the issue of freeing its frozen assets to the nuclear materials issue.” It added that the main sticking point — nuclear weapons for cash — won’t be decided until 60 days after an agreement is signed, a point of contention that members of both parties on Capitol Hill warned the president must not concede.U.S. officials sharing the details of the memorandum insisted that the 60-day period would not mean allowing the Islamic regime to slip out of a requirement to hand over its enriched uranium or cease its nuclear weapons program. During a press briefing Sunday with India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, at New Delhi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expected some good news to emerge on Sunday, though perhaps not final news on a deal. “There is a possibility that over the next few hours the world will get some good news at least with regards to the straits and with regards to a process that can ultimately leave us where the president wants us to be and that is a world that no longer has to be in fear or worry of an Iranian nuclear weapon,” he said.As details leaked throughout the day, Democrats said it appears that Iran is emerging more powerful than before Mr. Trump’s strikes.“The deal is basically this: we give Iran billions to get back to where we were before the war. And reports suggest the deal might codify Iran’s right to control the Strait. What a disaster this whole thing was,” Senator Chris Murphy wrote in a thread on X. “And just remember, Trump hasn’t accomplished ANY of his constantly shifting goals. Iran still has its ballistic missile and drone program. They still have a navy that can close the Strait. A hardline regime is still in charge,” he wrote.Turning to his Truth Social media platform, the president on Sunday issued a series of posts and comments suggesting that a deal is either at hand or Iran will be massacred, a threat that war hawks say sounds increasingly empty. Mr. Trump also derided critics, particularly those within the Republican Party such as Senators Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz, for suggesting the deal was less than what he had demanded.“Don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about,” he wrote. Mr. Rubio also rejected claims that the president may be caving to Iran’s demands. “The idea that somehow this president, given everything he’s already proven he’s willing to do, is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd,” he said.Twelve weeks have passed since the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran killed Iran’s top officials and set off a series of attacks on Gulf nations that had considered themselves outside the dispute. A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that connected 20 percent of Persian Gulf oil to the rest of the world sent oil prices spiraling and caused a bottleneck in other critical supplies that have had a global economic impact. Mr. Trump said the “negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner,” but he had informed his representatives “not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side.” “The Blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed. Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” he wrote. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said Sunday that his country is “ready” to assure the world that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, a claim the Islamic Republic has made for decades. No deal is possible without approval by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Supreme National Security Council in conjunction with the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is reportedly issuing directives, another concern among those who wanted regime change and instead find Iran’s brutal leadership still in power.That concern seemingly didn’t make it into the memorandum. “Our relationship with Iran is becoming a much more professional and productive one. They must understand, however, that they cannot develop or procure a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb,” the president wrote. While the president thanked the Gulf nations involved in the negotiations, including the heads of state from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Bahrain, as well as Pakistan, Israel appears to be the odd-nation out. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was excluded from the discussions on Saturday though the president spoke with him later. Mr. Netanyahu issued a statement on Sunday saying that he and Mr. Trump agree that “any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger.” “President Trump also reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon. The partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

Iran, U.S. Narrow Differences Over Nuclear Weapons, Passage of Ships Through Strait

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