US, Iran close to end war: What you need to know | US-Israel War on Iran News

President of the United States Donald Trump says a possible deal between Washington and Tehran to end the war of many months now “serious negotiations”, giving hope that tensions in the region can be reduced after the disagreement of many countries.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) reportedly includes reopening Hormuz Riveran important oil and gas transit route, and negotiations aimed at ending the US-Israel conflict over Iran.

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But despite Trump’s optimistic words, Iranian officials say major disagreements remain, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and tensions with Tehran’s factions in Lebanon.

So, what has Trump said, what is the pushback from Iran, and what are the main sticking points?

What did Trump say?

The president said on his website Truth Social on Saturday that the agreement between the US, Iran and several other countries in the region “have been discussed extensively” and the final terms will be announced soon.

“The agreement has been widely discussed, in terms of ending between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and various other countries,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He said the proposed deal would also include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed to most shipping since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28.

Trump described the proposal as a “Memorandum of Understanding on PEACE” and said the talks involved Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain.

Trump said he also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and “it went very well”.

Sources told the Reuters news agency that the expected process will be carried out in stages: ending the war, solving the problem of the Strait of Hormuz, and opening a 30-day window for negotiations to reach a closer agreement on a sustainable peace, which can be extended.

On Saturday, the New York Times reported that the deal included a “commitment” by Iran to hand over its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.

The report, citing two unnamed U.S. officials, said the details of how Iran would change or abandon the measures would be discussed later in the talks.

What did Iran say?

Iranian officials have confirmed that talks are ongoing and that some steps have been taken. However, he pushed back against some of Trump’s policies.

The agreement between Tehran and Washington included a comprehensive ceasefire map, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported, while the US lifted sanctions on Iranian oil in the talks.

Iran has not yet agreed to anything about its nuclear program, Tasnim added, noting that the potential agreement provides for 30 days of policies related to the Strait of Hormuz and 60 days of nuclear talks.

Meanwhile, Iran’s state-affiliated Fars news agency reported on Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz and that Trump’s comments on the vital waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil exports pass, were “unrealistic”.

On Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the latest proposal as a “structural agreement” or MoU that will begin to implement key policies before being discussed for 30 to 60 days.

“What is happening this week has been to reduce the conflict, but there are issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We will have to wait to see how things will end in the next three or four days,” said Baghaei.

He told Iran’s IRNA news agency that Tehran’s top priority is ending the war, stopping any US attacks and fighting in Lebanon.

What are the main sticking points?

Hormuz River

The main dispute between Tehran and Washington is over the Strait of Hormuz, a complex international waterway connecting the Gulf and the Arabian Sea. A fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas (LNG) was shipped through the river before the war.

Iran insists on sovereignty over the waterway, which lies within the territories of Iran and Oman and does not fall into international waters. It also floated the idea of ​​paying tolls while the US wanted full freedom of movement.

Iran, in fact, closed the river by blocking navigation after the war, attacking ships and allegedly laying naval bombs.

A few days before the end of the war on April 8, the US re-imposed its blockade measures. Its navy has been blocking Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to reopen the vital waterway, adding another hurdle to negotiations.

Iran’s nuclear program

Another major issue is Iran’s nuclear program, particularly its stockpile of enriched uranium.

The US and Israel want Iran to stop enriching uranium completely, accusing it of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, without publicly providing evidence to support their claims.

Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian use only. Tehran is also a signed the 1970 Convention on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

In 2015, the US joined the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under President Barack Obama. Under the deal, Iran agreed to increase its uranium enrichment to 3.67 percent – below weapons-grade levels – and allow inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure it is not pursuing nuclear weapons. In exchange, international sanctions on Iran were eased.

However, in 2018, during his first term in office, Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA, even though the IAEA stated that Iran was in compliance with the agreement at the time.

In March 2025, Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, he told Congress that the agencies continue to “verify that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon”.

Is a deal possible?

An expert on Iran and co-founder of the Quincy Institute, Trita Parsi, says that although the agreement reached between Iran and the US did not include major concessions from all sides, it was a sign of willingness to engage in greater cooperation.

“The true assessment of the first target will not come until we see the results, after another 30 days, and hopefully it won’t take long until we make a final agreement on the nuclear issue,” Parsi told Al Jazeera.

He said that it was not clear whether Iran should be directly compensated for the conflict, which is very important, but he said that if the sanctions are lifted and the nuclear issue is addressed, “it would be bigger than the Obama deal in 2015”.

Some experts have said that Israel’s approval will be a key factor in deciding whether a deal can be reached.

Academician Setareh Sadeqi said a message was sent to Trump that there was a clear desire in the region to achieve unity and create peace, but that these messages were sometimes contradictory.

“We (see) both sides saying that they are very close but far apart, and that the military option is still on the table,” Sadeqi, an associate professor of international studies at Tehran University, told Al Jazeera.

He added that Trump’s problem is that he can undermine Israel’s interests and push through the deal, Israel says looking for any breach of contract.