Lead
US President Donald Trump has stated that an agreement with Iran has been "largely negotiated," while simultaneously cautioning that the deal is not yet fully agreed upon. In a series of statements reported this week, Trump projected confidence in the progress of talks while describing the chances of a successful deal or renewed conflict as evenly balanced.
Coverage comparison
The reports, all sourced to statements from President Trump, paint a detailed picture of ongoing, high-stakes negotiations. A recurring theme is the advanced state of the memorandum of understanding, which reportedly covers a range of issues.
President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that an agreement has been negotiated, subject to finalization, and outlined that the majority of its provisions have been agreed upon. These provisions reportedly address agreements regarding Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and other issues. While there are some contradictory elements in the reporting—one statement says a deal "has been largely negotiated," while another says it "isn’t even fully negotiated yet" — the consistent element is that discussions are ongoing.
As part of the diplomatic push, President Trump said he held phone conversations with the leaders of several countries to discuss the memorandum. These countries include Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. He also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reports indicate that President Trump plans to hold a meeting with Persian Gulf leaders, according to CBS.
Key claims
- President Trump stated that a draft future agreement with Iran has been "largely negotiated," and that the majority of its provisions have been agreed upon.
- The US President said he has held phone conversations with leaders from several countries, including those from the Gulf region, Turkey, and Pakistan, to discuss the memorandum.
- Reports suggest that an unidentified regional source indicated all Arab and Muslim leaders on the call urged President Trump to proceed with the deal to end the war and de-escalate the situation. This information was cited by Axios correspondent Barak Ravid.
- President Trump described the odds of reaching a deal with Iran or resuming hostilities as 50-50. He stated he intends to meet with his negotiating team to decide on next steps.
Perspectives
Statements from the White House, reported by Russian state media, frame this as an active, multi-front negotiation.
President Trump characterized the potential agreement favorably, contrasting it with the deal made by the Obama administration, which he called a "bad deal." He asserted that his deal would be "an exact opposite" and stated, "I don't make bad deals."
President Trump has also sought to project strength in the negotiations, calling Iranians "very good negotiators" but also claiming the US "has all the cards" and has "defeated them militarily." He added that the military could resume hostilities if the potential deal was not good for the US.
Axios reported, citing sources, that negotiators had agreed on a draft memorandum of understanding, a claim that aligns with President Trump's public statements. The specific details of the agreement are still not public, and questions remain about its finalization and implementation.