Iran is reviewing a proposed agreement with the United States to halt their ongoing war, but has not communicated with Washington for several days, Iranian media reported on Tuesday. This comes after US President Donald Trump stated that negotiations were still ongoing. More than three months after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, the conflict remains in a stalemate, with a fragile ceasefire in place while the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed to maritime traffic.
Iran's Cautious Approach
Iran has not yet responded to the proposed final text of a temporary deal. According to Mehr News Agency, citing a source, Tehran is taking a stern approach due to what it perceives as a history of US non-compliance and longstanding mistrust. The semi-official Fars agency, also citing a source, added that messages regarding the possible deal, or memorandum of understanding, had stopped a few days ago. The last message from Tehran was a clear statement concerning Lebanon, where Iran seeks to halt Israel's incursion against its ally Hezbollah.
Nuclear Program Discussions
President Trump said on Monday that negotiations were continuing and that a deal would be reached within the next week to extend the ceasefire agreed upon in early April and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly claimed to be close to a deal, which would postpone contentious issues such as the future of Iran's nuclear program. A ceasefire has largely held since early April, but Iran and the US have exchanged strikes several times over the past week.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday that Iran had agreed to negotiate aspects of its nuclear program that it previously refused to discuss. However, he added that this was not a guarantee that negotiations would lead to a deal. Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, stated that the first condition in the talks was that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz, and it also had to commit to negotiations on its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Trump has said that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is his top priority. Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear bomb, insisting that its atomic program is for peaceful purposes only.
Impact of the Conflict
The war, which began on February 28, has resulted in thousands of deaths, primarily in Iran and Lebanon. It has caused global economic strain by driving up energy prices since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. The conflict also triggered the latest round of hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with Israel conducting its deepest incursion into Lebanon in 25 years.
Recent Strikes in Lebanon
On Tuesday, Israel continued strikes on several towns in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources, despite a US-mediated partial ceasefire announced on Monday. The ceasefire agreement entails Israel refraining from strikes on Beirut and Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, while the Iran-aligned group would halt attacks on Israel.
Limited Interim Deal Sought by Iran
In the broader war, Iran is pushing for a limited interim agreement as it seeks to alleviate economic pressure while avoiding major concessions on its nuclear program, according to Iranian sources. Tehran is demanding an end to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, access to billions of dollars in oil revenues, waivers on crude exports, the lifting of a US blockade on its ports, and continued leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump faces pressure to reopen the strait and curb US fuel prices while not making concessions to Iran.
