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Iran Getting Closer to Agreement With US, Trump Says
Published: 24 May 2026 | Source: CBS News, Centcom, Iranian State Television, Reuters, AFP
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran getting closer to agreement with US negotiators, confirming he has seen a draft document but declining to say whether it was good enough. “I don’t know, I can’t tell you that,” Trump told the BBC’s US partner CBS News. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told state television that US and Iranian positions had been converging in the past week, with a 14-point memorandum of understanding being finalised that would create a framework for further talks within 30 to 60 days. However, Baqaei said the key issue of nuclear weapons would not feature in any initial proposals, while Trump insisted any deal must “absolutely” prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
What Is in the Draft Agreement?
Neither side has released the text of the memorandum. Baqaei described a 14-point framework that would establish a basis for further negotiations rather than a final settlement. The nuclear file, including Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, would not appear in the initial memorandum, according to Iran’s foreign ministry.
Trump told CBS News he would “only sign a deal where we get everything we want.” If no acceptable agreement emerges, he warned: “We’re going to have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they’re about to be hit.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking during a visit to India, told the BBC there could be news within the next couple of days, but could not be certain. Rubio reiterated the US position that Iran must not be allowed a nuclear weapon, must turn over its highly enriched uranium, and that the Strait of Hormuz must reopen without Iranian tolls or conditions BBC interview with Marco Rubio, 24 May 2026.
Baqaei accused the Americans of “contradictory statements” and said the plan was to first finalise the memorandum so further talks could be held.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis: how a waterway became a sovereignty laboratory
The Mediation Architecture
Trump is expected to hold a phone call on Saturday with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan, Reuters reported, citing an Arab official. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Trump and the leaders of the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan on Saturday about the negotiations, AFP reported, with France pushing for a complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as the number one priority.
The multi-state mediation structure means the US is not negotiating bilaterally with Iran. Gulf monarchies, Pakistan, and European powers each hold procedural leverage over a process that has produced momentum without yet producing a text either side considers final.
Pakistan’s mediation role and the new diplomatic architecture of the Iran conflict
The Blockade and the Strait
US Central Command disclosed Saturday that it has redirected 100 vessels, disabled four, and allowed 26 humanitarian aid ships to pass since the blockade of Iranian ports began on 13 April Centcom operational update, 24 May 2026. Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the blockade had been “highly effective” in “allowing zero trade into and out of Iranian ports, which has squeezed Iran economically.”
Iran, meanwhile, has claimed military control of an area around the Strait of Hormuz through its “Persian Gulf Strait Authority,” which states all transit requires coordination with and authorisation from Iranian authorities.
The US and Gulf allies have repeatedly rejected Iranian attempts to assert control over the strait, and the US has instructed ships not to comply with Iran’s rules. The strait remains conditionally closed. Brent crude trades at approximately $111 per barrel. The blockade and the Strait closure are the economic backdrop against which the 14-point memorandum is being negotiated.
[INTERNAL LINK: Centcom’s naval blockade: the operational reality behind the diplomatic track]
FAQ: Iran-US Agreement 2026
What is the 14-point memorandum of understanding?
It is a draft framework being finalised by US and Iranian negotiators through Pakistani mediators. Iran says it would establish a basis for further talks within 30 to 60 days. The nuclear file is not included in the initial draft, according to Tehran.
Has Trump confirmed the draft agreement?
Yes. Trump told CBS News he has seen a draft but declined to say whether it was acceptable, stating: “I don’t know, I can’t tell you that.”
What are the US conditions for a deal?
Trump says any agreement must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Rubio says Iran must turn over its highly enriched uranium, and the Strait of Hormuz must reopen without Iranian tolls.
How many vessels has the US blockade redirected?
Centcom says it has redirected 100 vessels, disabled four, and allowed 26 humanitarian aid ships to pass since the blockade began on 13 April.
Is the Strait of Hormuz still closed?
Yes. Iran claims military control through its Persian Gulf Strait Authority and requires ships to seek authorisation. The US instructs ships not to comply. The strait remains conditionally closed.
Written by the Foreign Desk, drawing on CBS News interview transcripts, Centcom operational briefings, Iranian state television broadcasts, Reuters and AFP diplomatic reporting, and institutional coverage of US-Iran relations spanning over two decades. The desk has covered every phase of the current conflict since the 28 February airstrikes.