U.S. and Iran Report Progress in Middle East War Talks

The United States and Iran both indicated that negotiations to end the Middle East war have produced some progress but have not reached a final agreement. President Trump stated on Monday that any deal would be "great and meaningful" or there would be "no deal" at all. Iranian officials said a framework was still under discussion and not yet within reach.

Iranian officials said the nuclear question would not be part of an initial framework and would instead be handled in separate talks. The New York Times reported, citing two unnamed American officials, that a proposed agreement would require Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Iranian state media outlets Fars and Tasnim reported that Iran made no such commitment and that nuclear matters would be negotiated within 60 days after any initial understanding. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and President Trump agreed that any final agreement must eliminate the nuclear threat entirely, including dismantling enrichment facilities and removing enriched material.

Trump said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened under the agreement. Iranian state media reported that any deal would preserve Iran's management of the waterway and would not return it to its pre-war status. Tasnim added that a reported naval blockade of Iranian ports would need to be lifted within 30 days.

Iran has insisted that any initial understanding must include at least partial release of its frozen assets. Tasnim quoted an informed source stating that disagreements over the timing and mechanism for releasing blocked funds remain a key obstacle.

Fars reported that a potential deal would include temporary U.S. lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemical exports during the negotiation period.

Tasnim reported that a memorandum of understanding would first announce an end to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon. Iranian officials said the priority at this stage is ending the war across all fronts rather than discussing nuclear details immediately.