Iran-US Peace Talks
NBC News reported Monday that Iran has pushed back on expectations of a swift resolution to its conflict with the United States, even as both sides acknowledged meaningful progress in ongoing negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters that while the two parties had reached conclusions on numerous outstanding issues, no one should assume a signed agreement was around the corner. His remarks landed hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington had a “pretty solid” offer on the table and hinted a breakthrough could come as early as Monday.
Rubio Signals Urgency, Trump Urges Patience
Speaking to reporters from New Delhi, where he was attending meetings with the Indo-Pacific Quad alliance, Rubio said the United States would pursue diplomacy fully before considering other options. He stopped short of specifying what those alternatives might entail. President Donald Trump reinforced the message in a social media post, writing that the outcome would be either a meaningful deal or no deal at all. Trump had also said Sunday he would not rush into an agreement, moderating earlier signals from both governments that an announcement was close.
What a Framework Could Look Like
A senior administration official outlined the rough shape of a potential memorandum of understanding, according to NBC News. The framework would open a 60-day window for the two sides to negotiate a full peace agreement. Iran would commit to abandoning its nuclear weapons programme and surrendering enriched uranium, which Trump has called “nuclear dust.” In exchange, Washington would gradually lift its naval blockade and offer Tehran financial relief, contingent on Iranian compliance. The deal would also address clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz, the critical shipping lane Tehran has effectively closed during the conflict.
Why the Strait Matters to Global Markets
Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves through energy markets since hostilities escalated. On Monday, optimism over a potential deal helped push oil prices down more than $5 to two-week lows. US average gasoline prices edged slightly lower to $4.51 per gallon. Iran’s Baghaei separately noted that management of the waterway was a matter for its coastal nations and was not part of the current negotiating text.
Republican Critics Raise Alarm
Not everyone in Washington welcomed the emerging terms. Senior Republican lawmakers cautioned that the draft agreement could prove to be a serious misstep, though Trump dismissed those concerns, criticising what he called political opportunists who lacked knowledge of the deal’s substance. If a framework is signed in the coming days, the 60-day countdown would push any final ceasefire deadline toward late July or early August.
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