Negotiators reach tentative agreement after weeks of backchannel talks
US and Iranian negotiators have agreed on a draft 60-day ceasefire extension, according to officials familiar with the talks. The tentative deal was reached through mediators from Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman. It aims to pause hostilities and create a framework for negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.
President Donald Trump said he will make a final decision after meeting his national security team. Trump noted that he feels no political pressure to rush the deal. The US has demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment above 3.67 percent and allow international inspections.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran is reviewing the US response to the proposal. Both sides have offered conflicting accounts of what the final peace deal might look like. The negotiations come after 91 days of conflict that began in late February.
Strait of Hormuz blockade could be lifted under the terms
A central part of the tentative agreement involves lifting the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade has disrupted global oil shipments and driven up energy prices since the conflict began. Iran had threatened to close the strait, through which about 20 percent of the world's oil passes.
Under the draft MOU, the US would ease maritime restrictions in exchange for Iran stopping its military operations in the Persian Gulf. The deal would also restart talks on a broader nuclear agreement. Analysts say lifting the blockade would lower global oil prices and ease inflation pressures worldwide.
Regional allies watch closely as diplomatic window narrows
Pakistan has played a central role in backchannel diplomacy, with senior Pakistani officials shuttling between Washington and Tehran. Qatar and Oman have also hosted indirect talks. Israel has voiced concerns about any deal that leaves Iran with nuclear enrichment capability.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there has been some progress in talks and that the coming days would be decisive. If Trump approves the deal, it would represent the biggest diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords. If he rejects it, the region could slide back into open conflict.