Trump holds meeting to make 'final determination' on Iran deal

Trump Holds Meeting with Aides on Framework for Extending Ceasefire with Iran

US President Donald Trump held a meeting with senior advisers on Friday to reach a final determination on a proposed framework for extending the ceasefire with Iran. The session ended without an announced decision on next steps.

In a Truth Social post before the meeting, Trump stated that Iran must agree never to possess a nuclear weapon, that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened for unrestricted shipping traffic in both directions, and that any mines placed in the strait must be removed. An adviser to Iran's supreme leader later responded on social media to the demands.

Iran maintains that it is not negotiating its nuclear program and states that the program serves solely peaceful purposes. On Thursday, the two sides had reached agreement on a framework described as a memorandum of understanding, pending final approval from Trump and Iranian leadership, according to US officials. The framework would extend the ceasefire for 60 days and begin talks on the future of Iran's nuclear program.

A White House official told CBS News that Trump will approve only a deal that meets US requirements and his stated conditions, including that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon. Since the ceasefire took effect on 8 April, Trump has stated repeatedly that the United States and Iran are close to an agreement and that negotiations are advancing, though no final results have been reached.

Earlier on Friday, Trump posted that he was prepared to lift the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, allowing vessels in the waterway to begin returning to their home ports. He also stated that Iran must permit the United States to remove and destroy its enriched uranium. No funds would be transferred until further notice, he added, while noting that other items of lesser importance had already been agreed.

A White House official confirmed to the BBC that the meeting, held in the Situation Room, concluded late on Friday but provided no additional details. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday that the blockade on Iranian shipping remained active, with Iranian vessels still prevented from crossing the line and receiving warnings from US forces.

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, posted on X that the US president was betraying diplomacy for the third time. He stated that continuation of the naval blockade and additional demands in negotiations showed the United States was not inclined toward reaching an agreement and was pursuing other objectives. Iran's Fars news agency cited sources describing Trump's comments as a mixture of truth and lies. The agency reported that the memorandum of understanding contained no provision for the destruction of nuclear materials.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state television that the focus remained on ending the war and that there were no negotiations on the nuclear issue. The United States has long required Iran to halt production of highly enriched uranium and to dispose of its existing stockpile, which could theoretically be used to produce nuclear weapons. Iran states that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and that it is not seeking nuclear weapons.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaking at a security summit in Singapore, said US stockpiles were sufficient to support any resumption of strikes in Iran if required. He noted that munitions were balanced between specialized and more numerous types and that the United States was positioned to respond as needed.

The United States and Israel conducted strikes against Iran on 28 February. Iran responded with attacks on Israel and on US-allied states in the Gulf and closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about 20 percent of global energy supplies and has contributed to higher oil prices. On Thursday, US Vice President JD Vance said negotiators were still addressing a few points of language, including questions related to enrichment levels. He stated that an agreement had not yet been reached but that the sides were close and would continue working.

Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf posted that Iran places no trust in guarantees or statements and requires actions from the other side. He added that any party to an agreement must be prepared for conflict the following day. Both sides have accused each other of ceasefire violations in recent days. On Thursday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it had targeted a US air base in Kuwait that it identified as the source of earlier strikes on the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command described the attack on the base in Kuwait as a ceasefire violation.

The memorandum of understanding agreed on Thursday would extend the current ceasefire by 60 days while formal talks on Iran's nuclear program begin. No agreement has been finalized, and both governments continue to exchange statements on the conditions required for any extension.