An agreement between the United States and Iran could be close, according to a Pakistani security source cited on Friday by Reuters. Discussions are said to be in their final phase, with diplomatic contacts continuing both through indirect channels mediated by Pakistan and through direct exchanges between technical teams.
The next round of negotiations may take the form of a signing ceremony, with Islamabad emerging as the favored location for a potential agreement. Pakistan has been playing an active role as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran in recent weeks.
President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about a quick resolution. He stated that a new meeting between the two parties could take place as early as this weekend and described an agreement as being “very close.” Trump suggested that the current ceasefire could be extended, but also noted that it may not be necessary if Tehran truly wants to reach a compromise. While in Las Vegas, he also stated that “the war should end very soon.”
According to Politico, facing rising prices and declining poll numbers, Trump may be more flexible on certain Iranian demands than his public position suggests. A Gulf official close to the talks believes that the US president may be willing to make more concessions in order to achieve diplomatic success quickly.
Negotiations are mainly focused on the Iranian nuclear program. Sources mentioned in the article suggest that Washington is proposing a twenty-year freeze on Iran’s uranium enrichment capacity, while Tehran has only offered a five-year suspension. The US is also requesting that Iran’s partially enriched uranium stocks be transferred to a third country acceptable to both parties.
Additionally, CNN reports that Trump is closely monitoring the role played by his vice president, JD Vance, who led the American delegation during the initial round of talks in Islamabad. The president has reportedly consulted advisors and close associates about Vance’s performance, comparing his stature to that of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seen as a potential rival in the 2028 presidential election.
In a remark attributed to multiple participants, Trump joked about the outcome of the discussions: if they fail, he would blame JD Vance; if successful, he would take “all the credit.”
