Trump Administration Reports Progress Then Retreat on Iran Talks

President Trump posted on Saturday that the United States was close to an agreement with Iran that would end the war that began earlier this year and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. As details emerged, the proposed terms deferred discussion of nuclear issues in exchange for reopening the strait, which had been closed after the start of the conflict.

Hawkish allies criticized the outlines, and the president posted on Sunday that any final agreement would differ from the 2015 nuclear deal and had not yet been completed.

U.S. military carried out what it described as self-defense strikes against Iranian targets. The strikes occurred after earlier administration statements that threats from Iran had been eliminated. The sequence followed a weekend in which the president skipped his eldest son’s wedding, citing work on the negotiations.

The Atlantic article traces repeated instances since 2017 in which the president has engaged directly with North Korea, Russia, and China. In each case the article states that the United States returned without concrete concessions on the issues that prompted the talks.

8 billion fund for political allies. The article identifies three factors it links to outcomes: limited preparation by the negotiating team, shifts in stated objectives during talks, and visible urgency to reach an agreement.