U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations to end hostilities with Iran are progressing smoothly but warned that "if the deal falls apart, the scale of an attack will be stronger than ever," ratcheting up last-minute pressure on Tehran. At the same time, with criticism mounting within the Republican Party that the "ceasefire first, nuclear deal later" framework amounts to a hasty agreement, Trump appeared to ease concerns by signaling he would not rush a deal.
Trump made the remarks on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday, saying "no one wants the situation," referring to a collapse of talks and a resumption of attacks. The statement applied last-minute pressure on Iran as Washington and Tehran are drafting a memorandum of understanding (MOU) centered on ending the attacks and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's position is to extend a ceasefire for up to 60 days and use that period to negotiate the nuclear issue.
Under the details, the Strait of Hormuz would be opened without transit fees, and Iran would remove mines installed in the strait to allow free passage of vessels. However, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that what Iran intends to collect is not "avarez," the Persian word for tolls, but "hazineh," meaning costs for providing services such as navigation and pilotage. This is interpreted to mean that even if an MOU to end the conflict is signed with the United States, free passage through the Strait of Hormuz will not be allowed.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a visit to India, told reporters in New Delhi that "very concrete proposals are being discussed regarding Iran's capacity to open the Strait of Hormuz, and on the nuclear issue, to enter into very substantive and significant negotiations within a set timeframe."
Within the United States, however, last-minute disagreements and internal backlash appear to be slowing the pace. As word spread that the draft MOU lacked specifics on the nuclear issue, voices of discontent emerged within the Republican Party against the Trump administration. Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz argued that "during the 60-day ceasefire, Iran could buy time and secure a military and strategic advantage," and that "an agreement with Iran along these lines could tilt influence in the Middle East toward Iran." Hardliners within the Republican Party are voicing criticism, asking, "If we cannot fully strip Iran of its right to enrich uranium, what makes this different from the Barack Obama administration's deal?" Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, emphasized at a regular briefing the same day that "the nuclear issue is not being discussed at this stage."
Trump, apparently mindful of such backlash, again posted on Truth Social: "With Iran, it will be either a 'great deal' for everyone or no deal at all," reiterating that any agreement would be differentiated from the nuclear accord struck with Iran during the Barack Obama administration.
Meanwhile, Iran is continuing to mobilize its diplomatic efforts to include the release of funds frozen under Western sanctions as a condition of any agreement. Reuters reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Qatar with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliamentary speaker who heads Iran's negotiating team with the United States, to discuss the release of the frozen funds.
