The US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran remains eager to strike a deal with Washington, but stressed that the United States is not yet satisfied with the progress of negotiations. Speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump hinted that military action could continue if talks fail to produce acceptable terms.
“Iran wants very much to make a deal. So far, they haven’t gotten there,” Trump told reporters. “We’re not satisfied with it yet, but we will be. Either that happens, or we’ll have to finish the job.”
His remarks came shortly after the White House rejected reports aired by Iranian state television claiming that Tehran and Washington were close to an initial framework agreement aimed at ending months of conflict and restoring stability in the Persian Gulf region.
Iranian state TV had earlier reported that an unofficial draft memorandum of understanding between the two countries proposed restoring shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month. The report also claimed the deal included a reduction of US military presence around Iran and an end to the American naval blockade on Iranian shipping routes.
However, the White House dismissed the report as “not true” and described the alleged memorandum as “a complete fabrication.”
Despite the denial from Washington, the Iranian broadcaster maintained that it had obtained a preliminary draft of the agreement, though it acknowledged that the document was not final and could still change during negotiations. Iran’s government did not officially comment on the report.
The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central issues in the ongoing conflict. Before fighting erupted earlier this year, nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the strategic waterway. Disruptions caused by the war have led to global concerns over energy security and rising fuel prices.
Iranian officials indicated that reopening the waterway remains unresolved. Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said during a security forum in Moscow that no agreement had been finalized.
“As long as all issues are not agreed upon, nothing has been agreed,” he told reporters.
According to Iranian state television, the proposed framework would allow Iran to manage ship traffic through the strait in coordination with Oman, while excluding military vessels from the arrangement. Tehran reportedly insisted that any implementation would depend on “tangible verification” of US commitments.
Another major obstacle in the talks remains Iran’s nuclear programme. The United States continues to demand the dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, arguing that the programme could eventually lead to the development of nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly denied such intentions, maintaining that its nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful and civilian purposes.
Iranian sources suggested that nuclear negotiations may be postponed to a second phase of talks, a proposal that could face resistance from some of Trump’s allies and supporters. Trump has consistently described dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme as a primary objective of the conflict.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that negotiations could still take several more days, despite recent optimism from Trump about a possible breakthrough.
Meanwhile, military tensions continue despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. The US military carried out what it described as defensive strikes in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province on Tuesday, targeting missile installations and boats allegedly attempting to deploy naval mines.
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes, calling them a “gross violation” of the fragile ceasefire that has been in place for nearly seven weeks.
The conflict, which began on February 28, has reportedly killed thousands of people and triggered one of the most significant global oil supply disruptions in recent years. Rising energy costs have also increased prices of fuel, food, and fertilizers worldwide.
Oil markets reacted sharply to Wednesday’s reports of potential diplomatic progress, with prices falling more than five percent amid hopes that shipping routes and supplies could soon stabilize.
The war has also created political challenges for Trump domestically, with several opinion polls showing growing public opposition to continued US involvement as mid-term elections approach later this year.
