Lead

US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that Washington and Tehran are close to an agreement to extend a ceasefire and ease shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, but that President Donald Trump has not yet approved a deal. Speaking to reporters, Vance described the talks as making "good progress" while cautioning that "we're not there yet" — a position echoed across multiple reports from the past week.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, France 24, The Guardian, South China Morning Post, and TASS all centre on Vance's public statements, but they differ in emphasis and detail. Al Jazeera's coverage spans several days: one report from May 20 quotes Vance saying the US is "locked and loaded" for military action if talks fail; another from May 29 notes "a lot of progress" toward a ceasefire extension, including talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but with disagreements over Tehran's enriched uranium stockpile. A third Al Jazeera piece from May 14 highlights that President Trump rejected Tehran's latest proposal as unacceptable, even as Vance said progress was being made.

Deutsche Welle and France 24 both carry Vance's "not there yet" remark from May 29, adding that negotiators reportedly reached a tentative deal pending Trump's approval. Deutsche Welle also reports that Trump called off a planned attack on Iran at the request of Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and that Gulf leaders urged Trump to negotiate. The Guardian quotes Vance saying the US is "very close to achieving" a peace deal, while also noting Trump's threats to strike Iran and Iran's warning that US bases and assets are legitimate targets. South China Morning Post reports Vance's "good progress" comment and warns that the US military is "locked and loaded" to restart its campaign if negotiations collapse. TASS frames the ceasefire as "very much holding" despite "flare-ups," quoting Vance on intercepted Iranian missiles.

Key Claims

  • Ceasefire extension progress: Vance says Washington and Tehran have made "a lot of progress" toward a ceasefire extension agreement, including talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. This is reported by Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, France 24, The Guardian, and South China Morning Post.
  • Disagreements remain: Vance acknowledges disagreements over Tehran's enriched uranium stockpile and the question of enrichment. Al Jazeera reports this directly; France 24 and Deutsche Welle also note "a couple of sticking points" without specifying them in the same detail.
  • Trump's approval pending: A tentative deal to extend the ceasefire and ease shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz is pending President Trump's approval, according to Deutsche Welle and France 24, both citing US sources. Vance said he could not guarantee when or if Trump would sign the memorandum of understanding.
  • Military option remains: Vance says the US is prepared to take military action if talks fail, using the phrase "locked and loaded." This is reported by Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, and South China Morning Post. Trump has also threatened to strike Iran, according to The Guardian and South China Morning Post.
  • Iran's warnings: Iran has warned that US bases and assets are legitimate targets. This is reported by Al Jazeera and The Guardian.
  • US military readiness: The US military is ready to respond to Iranian aggression, according to Al Jazeera and TASS. Vance said the president has been clear that "if we're fired upon, we're going to fire back."
  • Ceasefire holding: Vance says the ceasefire is "very much holding" despite isolated incidents, as reported by TASS. He described ceasefires as "always a little messy" with "little flare-ups."

Perspectives

US administration: Vice President Vance presents the talks as progressing but not complete, emphasising that the US will not accept a deal allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon. He stresses that the military option remains available if negotiations fail, while also indicating that a deal could come soon — possibly within a week or within months.

Iranian officials: Brigadier-General Mohammad Akrami Nia says Iran's military remains at "the highest level of readiness," warning that "there is no room for retreat." Iranian officials have also warned that US bases and assets are legitimate targets, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said countries working with Israel against Tehran will be "held to account."

Gulf leaders: According to Deutsche Welle, Trump called off a planned attack on Iran at the request of Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, who urged him to negotiate. The UAE has denied an Israeli report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit there during the war.