Trump Delays Iran Deal Decision as Red Lines Clash

President Donald Trump met with senior advisers on Friday to review a proposed framework for extending the ceasefire with Iran but left the session without announcing a decision, according to officials familiar with the discussion. The talks center on a 60-day pause in fighting that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic and set the stage for broader negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities.

Trump had previewed the meeting on social media by listing several conditions, including a permanent Iranian commitment to forgo nuclear weapons, removal of enriched uranium from sites targeted in earlier strikes, and unrestricted passage through the strait without tolls or mines. A White House official said afterward that any agreement must meet those red lines and serve American interests. Iranian officials, however, described the latest exchanges as ongoing but incomplete, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stating that Tehran would judge progress by concrete steps rather than statements.

The proposed memorandum emerged after weeks of indirect talks mediated by Qatar and Pakistan. It would extend the current lull in hostilities that began on April 8 and create a channel for addressing the nuclear issue. Yet both sides continue to disagree on sequencing. Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf emphasized that any easing of restrictions must follow verifiable U.S. actions, while U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told an audience in Singapore that American forces remain prepared to resume operations if needed, citing adequate munitions stockpiles and an expanding defense industrial base.

The economic stakes have grown clearer as the conflict has dragged into its third month. Closure of the strait, which handles roughly one-fifth of global crude shipments, contributed to higher gasoline prices and fertilizer shortages in the United States. Those pressures appear to have narrowed the administration’s immediate priorities toward restoring shipping lanes rather than pursuing more expansive military objectives outlined at the start of the campaign. Shipping through the waterway had previously operated without impediment, underscoring how the conflict itself altered the leverage available to both parties.

Israeli operations in Lebanon continued independently, with forces advancing past the Litani River and airstrikes reported in multiple areas. Iranian officials have insisted that any comprehensive agreement must also address fighting in Lebanon, adding another layer of complexity to the bilateral channel. U.S. Central Command said its forces remain active across the region, while diplomatic teams from Israel and Lebanon held separate meetings at the Pentagon.

Iranian advisers have criticized the scale of Trump’s conditions as inconsistent with standard diplomatic practice. At the same time, U.S. statements have stressed that no funds would change hands until further verification steps are completed. The absence of a decision after Friday’s meeting leaves the status of the proposed extension uncertain, with both capitals signaling that additional work is required before any final text can be approved.