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The draft agreement between Iran and the United States has not yet been finalized and has undergone changes in recent days, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim. The report contradicts earlier claims that negotiators had agreed on a memorandum of understanding awaiting approval from US President Donald Trump.

Coverage Comparison

TASS, citing Tasnim, reported that the text of the draft agreement remains unfinished. A source close to the negotiating team told Tasnim that reports in some Western media outlets that the text of the memorandum of understanding has been finalized are not true. The source added that Iran has not yet informed the Pakistani mediator that the text was finalized.

Earlier, the Axios news website reported that US and Iranian negotiators had agreed on a draft memorandum of understanding. The document reportedly envisages extending the ceasefire and launching negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. However, Tasnim later said the text had not yet been agreed upon or approved.

US Vice President JD Vance told reporters on May 29 that the US and Iran have not yet reached a peace agreement but are "very close" to doing so. "We're not there yet, but we're very close, and we're going to keep on working at it," he said.

Meanwhile, a source close to the Iranian negotiating team told Tasnim on May 18 that the United States had updated its proposal but the positions of the two countries still aren't very close. The source cited disagreements about frozen assets and reparations as prime examples of fundamental differences.

Key Claims

  • The text of the draft agreement between Iran and the US has undergone changes in recent days and has not yet been finalized, according to Tasnim.
  • Reports that the text of the memorandum of understanding has been finalized are not true, according to a source close to the negotiating team quoted by Tasnim.
  • US and Iranian negotiators had agreed on a draft memorandum of understanding awaiting approval from US President Donald Trump, as reported by Axios.
  • The agreement envisages extending the ceasefire and launching negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, according to Axios.
  • The US and Iran have not yet reached a peace agreement but are very close to doing so, according to US Vice President JD Vance.
  • The United States has updated its proposal on settling the conflict with Iran, but positions of the two countries still aren't very close, according to a source quoted by Tasnim.
  • There haven't been any messages exchanged between Iran and the US on a draft agreement for several days, according to the Fars news agency.
  • Tehran and Washington have not suspended indirect contacts aimed at resolving the conflict, and the parties are currently reviewing texts they exchanged earlier, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Perspectives

Iran's government

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that indirect contacts with the US have not been terminated, and that external factors do influence the talks. He confirmed that the parties are reviewing previously exchanged texts and working on the final draft of the document.

Iran's parliament speaker

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran is set to gain concessions through the use of missiles rather than via dialogue, arguing that "the winner of any agreement is the one who is better prepared for war from the day after."