Trump says there is no rush for Iran deal, US blockade stays

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he had instructed American negotiators not to rush into a peace agreement with Iran, tempering expectations of a quick breakthrough in the three-month conflict that has disrupted global energy markets and heightened tensions across the Middle East.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. blockade on Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz would remain “in full force and effect” until a formal agreement is reached, certified, and signed. He added that both sides needed time to ensure the deal is handled properly.

Iranian officials did not immediately respond to Trump’s remarks. However, Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, reported that Washington continues to resist several Iranian demands, including the release of frozen Iranian assets held overseas.

The latest comments came just a day after Trump said Washington and Tehran had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding that could eventually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane that previously handled about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict erupted.

Despite signs of progress, major disagreements remain unresolved. Key issues include Iran’s nuclear program, the ongoing conflict involving Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, as well as Tehran’s demand for sanctions relief and access to billions of dollars in frozen oil revenues.

A senior Trump administration official told reporters that no final agreement would be signed on Sunday, citing the slow pace of Iran’s political system. Speaking anonymously, the official said Iran had agreed “in principle” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its naval blockade and easing tensions tied to Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The official also said the U.S. believes Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has approved the broad framework of the proposed deal, though there was no immediate confirmation from Tehran.

According to the official, the United States plans to first restore shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz before moving to more detailed negotiations involving Iran’s nuclear activities. He said discussions over Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile were focused more on implementation rather than principle.

A second senior administration official said the proposed framework would provide negotiators with 60 days to finalize a broader agreement.

Iranian sources previously told Reuters that future negotiations could include measures such as diluting Iran’s enriched uranium under the supervision of the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

Iran has consistently denied accusations from the United States and Israel that it is pursuing nuclear weapons, insisting its uranium enrichment program is intended for civilian energy purposes. However, Western governments argue that the level of uranium purity Iran has achieved exceeds what is necessary for power generation.

The possibility of a deal has drawn criticism from both Republican and Democratic figures in the United States. Critics argued that the emerging framework resembles the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated under former President Barack Obama, which Trump withdrew from during his first term.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen described the reported agreement as little more than a return to “the pre-war status quo” with Iran. Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” he criticized the administration’s handling of the conflict and suggested the United States was attempting to reverse course after escalating tensions.

Trump defended his approach, saying any agreement with Iran would be “good and proper” and dismissing critics as uninformed.

Meanwhile, concerns remain over Iran’s continued influence over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian military adviser to Khamenei said Tehran maintained the legal right to manage access to the waterway, although it remains unclear whether Iran intends to continue approving vessel movements individually.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said 33 ships passed through the strait over the last 24 hours with Tehran’s permission, far below the roughly 140 vessels that typically transited the route daily before the war began.

Global oil markets reacted positively to the possibility of easing tensions. Brent crude prices fell more than 4% to below $100 a barrel for the first time since early May, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also dropped over 4%.

Still, energy experts warned that even if the conflict formally ends soon, shipping operations through the Strait of Hormuz may not fully recover until at least 2027, prolonging pressure on fuel, food, and fertilizer prices worldwide.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has already caused widespread devastation across the region. Thousands have reportedly been killed in Iran following U.S.-Israeli bombing campaigns that were suspended in early April under a fragile ceasefire agreement.

Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon have also displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, while Iranian missile strikes targeting Israel and neighboring Gulf states have killed dozens more. -Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Ariba Shahid, Hatem Mater, Andrew Mills, Elwely Elwelly and Parisa Hafezi; Writing by Kim Coghill, Kevin Liffey, Andrew Heavens, Nathan Layne and Helen Coster; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Sergio Non and Nia Williams/Reuters