Trump Sends Back Iran Deal Text With Edits, Extending Talks
CNN reported Sunday that President Donald Trump sent proposed Iran deal text back to negotiators after a Friday meeting with senior advisers, requesting revisions that have pushed the talks into yet another week.
The precise edits Trump sought were not immediately disclosed. Officials told CNN the president pushed for stronger language on Iran’s nuclear commitments and on guarantees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments. Gulf allies have been briefed on the progress of the discussions.
One foreign official familiar with the negotiations told CNN the requested changes are not substantive in nature. They primarily reflect a US desire for firmer written assurances on those two specific issues.
A Deal That Keeps Slipping Away
The latest round of revisions arrives a full week after Trump publicly declared the agreement “largely finalized” and suggested a swift end to hostilities was near. A two-hour session held Friday was widely expected to produce a conclusive decision. It did not.
Trump also used social media to outline what he described as deal conditions, including a US seizure and destruction of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Iran has consistently said its nuclear program is not part of the current round of talks.
Trump additionally stated no money exchange had been discussed. Iran has said financial relief must be part of any final agreement. How those contradictions get resolved remains an open question.
Background: Hormuz, Hostilities and the Obama-Era Shadow
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of global oil trade, making its closure a significant economic pressure point. Trump has also expressed wariness about any financial concessions to Tehran, drawing repeated comparisons to the Obama administration’s delivery of funds tied to the earlier nuclear arrangement, which he has long criticised as inadequate.
One US official told CNN additional military strikes are unlikely while a deal remains within reach. Regional partners are said to be strongly opposed to any resumption of combat operations.
Iran’s Own Red Lines Complicate Progress
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated Sunday that no agreement will be ratified until Tehran secures what it considers its rightful terms, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. His comments signal that domestic political pressure inside Iran could further complicate the path to a signed deal.
The gap between what Trump describes publicly and what Iranian officials say must be included continues to generate confusion about the timeline for any breakthrough.
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