While Washington buzzed with “incessant rumors” and anticipated “important” announcements on the Iranian issue over the weekend, “the United States hinted that they were nearing an agreement that could extend the current ceasefire with Iran,” reported El País.
On Saturday night, Donald Trump “expressed great optimism about the negotiations, which he deemed promising and which will address one of the most important issues for the West due to its impact on oil prices: the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” added the Madrid-based newspaper.
“An agreement has been extensively negotiated, pending finalization, between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” wrote the American president on his Truth Social network, specifying that he had spoken on the phone with many leaders from Gulf countries, as well as with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The final aspects and details of the agreement are being discussed and will be announced soon,” added the White House tenant. “Among the many elements of the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened.”
Uranium enrichment
The diplomatic dance escalated on Friday, as several Pakistani and Qatari officials – mediators of the conflict – traveled to Tehran to try to revive negotiations between the belligerents. Donald Trump, for his part, decided to stay at the White House over the weekend to focus on the issue.
Speaking anonymously, an American official told Axios that the agreement entailed “a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, during which the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, Iran would be able to freely sell its oil, and negotiations would be conducted on the supervision of the Iranian nuclear program.”
According to the online media outlet, “this agreement would help avoid an escalation of the conflict and ease pressure on global oil supply. However, it is still unclear if it will lead to a lasting peace agreement that also meets President Trump’s nuclear requirements.”
According to The New York Times, “another key element of the proposed agreement between Iran and the United States is an apparent commitment by Tehran to relinquish its stock of highly enriched uranium,” a “long-standing goal” of Washington.
The agreement may still “fall through”
Donald Trump and the mediators hope to announce the agreement as early as Sunday, “although it has not yet been finalized and could still fall through,” Axios warned.
In fact, Iran appears to be significantly less enthusiastic than Donald Trump.
The spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told state television that “American and Iranian positions had converged during the past week,” but warned that “this does not mean that agreements will be reached on key issues,” also accusing Americans of making “contradictory statements,” as reported by the BBC.
And the situation in the Strait of Hormuz seems more nuanced than what the White House tenant suggests.
“Donald Trump stated that the status of the strait would return to pre-war conditions,” but according to Al-Jazeera, citing the Fars agency close to the Revolutionary Guards, “this does not reflect what the two parties have agreed upon.”
According to Fars, “Iran would maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, at least during the ceasefire period, until the negotiations are concluded.”
The Qatari channel notes that the Strait of Hormuz is “Iran’s main pressure point” and in Tehran, “many consider it the country’s ‘nuclear bomb’ – its greatest deterrent and, consequently, are not ready to give it up easily.”
