Trump: US-Iran deal "not fully agreed yet," White House officials say "it may take several days," key issues remain "unresolved."

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The United States and Iran are negotiating a framework agreement covering the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear issues, but there are still significant disagreements on key terms, and the timeline for signing the agreement is highly uncertain.

According to Xinhua News Agency, U.S. President Trump posted on social media on May 24, stating that the U.S.-Iran agreement "has not been fully settled," and said, "If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper deal."

At the same time, a senior anonymous White House official told the media that the two sides would not reach an agreement to end the war that day, and that the agreement may take several days to gain approval from Iran's leadership. The report said that although the U.S. was optimistic about reaching an agreement, there were still variables before signing.

The Iranian side also released strong signals. According to CCTV News, Iran stated that it has not made any commitments on the details of the nuclear issue at this stage, and emphasized that if the issue of frozen assets is not resolved, it will touch Iran’s bottom line, and the two sides will not be able to reach a consensus.

In addition, as the framework of a potential agreement emerges, complex domestic political games and concerns from allies are intensifying. The Trump administration not only faces fierce criticism at home for too much compromise from Washington, but also must address deep concerns from Israel and Gulf Arab countries regarding the postwar regional security landscape.

Strait of Hormuz and Ceasefire Framework

Reopening the global energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, is at the absolute core of current negotiations.

Reportedly, the principle of the agreement is that the U.S. would lift its maritime blockade on Iranian shipping in exchange for Iran fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to mediators, the memorandum of understanding would extend the current ceasefire by at least 60 days and seek to end parallel conflicts on multiple fronts including Lebanon.

However, there remain serious disagreements in the two sides’ interpretations of control. Reportedly, Iran insists that if an agreement is reached, “the management of the Strait of Hormuz will be entirely under the control and command of the Islamic Republic of Iran”; while U.S. officials reiterated that any system for Iran to collect transit fees for passage through the Strait is unacceptable.

Rory Johnston, founder of commodity research firm Commodity Context, pointed out that although current progress seems like a breakthrough, past experience suggests that such consensus often breaks down once competitive interpretations of the details are involved. Market analysts are eager to know the specific timetable for resuming traffic through the Strait, as well as whether the waterway might face renewed disruption risks in the future.

Nuclear Program and Asset Unfreezing: Core Focus Touching Both Sides’ Bottom Lines

Apart from sovereignty over the Strait, the handling of the nuclear program and the release of frozen assets are the greatest obstacles to reaching an agreement.

Reportedly, U.S. officials said that Iran has in principle agreed to address its stocks of highly and low-enriched uranium, but the specific mechanism and timeline have not yet been determined. The U.S. has sought a uranium enrichment ban lasting up to 20 years, while Iranian negotiators have implied they will only accept a shorter suspension period and proposed diluting high-enriched uranium within Iran, rather than sending it abroad.

On the issues of sanctions relief and unfreezing funds, the positions of the two sides are even more diametrically opposed. According to CCTV News, Iran has clearly stated that it has not made any commitments on details of the nuclear issue at this stage and is unwilling to directly link unfreezing assets with the nuclear materials issue.

Iran emphasized that once a memorandum of understanding is announced, the U.S. should immediately unfreeze a portion of assets (estimated at $100 billion or $25 billion), which is one of Iran's bottom lines.

A senior U.S. official clarified to the media that there are no concrete commitments yet in the negotiations regarding any pre-unfreezing of assets or preliminary sanctions relief. The Iranian side warned that if their demand for asset unfreezing is not met, the memorandum of understanding will collapse.

Domestic Political Resistance and Allies’ Security Concerns

While pushing forward negotiations, Trump is under heavy pressure from domestic political allies and regional partners.

Hardliners in the U.S. regarding Iran, including Senators Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, and Roger Wicker, have fiercely criticized the agreement, which only opens the Strait, arguing that it would render previous military actions pointless and put Iran in a stronger position regarding its nuclear ambitions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also emphasized that Iran must accept and comply with U.S. terms. Facing criticism, Trump countered on social media, insisting that the deal being negotiated is "completely different" from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal struck during the Obama era.

In the Middle East, allied concerns are likewise clear. Reportedly, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu convened a security cabinet meeting over the weekend to discuss the agreement. Israel is highly concerned that an initial agreement could constrain its actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon and provide Iran with economic and military breathing room at a time when its regime is vulnerable.

On the other hand, Gulf Arab nations, while earnestly hoping for restored security of energy infrastructure and oil exports, fear that after a U.S. troop withdrawal, Iran would be able to use the Strait of Hormuz as a sophisticated bargaining chip. H.A. Hellyer, senior research fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, analyzed that the main risk facing Gulf states is that the deal may make Tehran feel more empowered, allowing it to exert greater influence through military threats in future regional disputes.

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