On May 23 (US time), according to CNN, US President Donald Trump said that a broader agreement between the US and Iran has been negotiated "to a large extent", in the context of diplomatic efforts to end the months-long conflict showing signs of progress.
On the social network Truth Social, President Trump wrote that the US, Iran and some related countries have reached most of the content of the agreement, although the final details still need to be completed.
According to sources familiar with the negotiation process, the memorandum of understanding being discussed by the two sides may include ending military operations, gradually reopening maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the blockade on Iranian ports.
The agreement is also said to pave the way for the release of part of Iran's assets that are frozen abroad. At the same time, the two sides will continue to have at least 30 days of negotiations to resolve existing disagreements related to Tehran's nuclear program.
However, there are still significant differences between the two sides. One of the biggest problems is Iran's enriched uranium reserves.
Washington wants Tehran to abandon the amount of uranium enriched at a level close to the threshold for nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran affirmed that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes and does not accept transferring the above amount of uranium abroad.
In addition, the issue of controlling the Strait of Hormuz continues to be controversial. Mr. Trump declared that this strategic maritime route will be reopened, and opposed any idea of collecting fees for ships passing by.
However, Iran's Fars news agency denied the above assessment, saying that the Hormuz Strait will still be under Tehran's control according to the latest negotiation proposals.
In an effort to promote dialogue, Pakistan continues to play a mediating role between Washington and Tehran. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assessed recent exchanges as positive and said that phone calls between the US and countries in the region have contributed to promoting the peace process.
However, both the US and Iran admit that many important details have not been agreed upon. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that the positions of the two sides have been closer in the past week, but it will take a few more days to determine whether a final agreement can be reached.
