President Donald Trump announced he would soon decide on extending a ceasefire agreement with Iran, emphasizing the need for unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s commitment to relinquish its nuclear weapons ambitions. In a meeting at the White House Situation Room, he outlined critical conditions for the deal, including the immediate reopening of the strategic waterway and a complete dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear weapons capacity.
Negotiators have been working on prolonging a truce established in early April that temporarily eased tensions and allowed limited oil and gas shipments through the strait. The ongoing talks aim to tackle sensitive issues related to Iran’s nuclear program and maritime security in the volatile Persian Gulf region. Trump also mentioned the removal of naval mines blocking the passage and assured that no financial transactions would occur until further notice, possibly addressing Iranian demands for toll fees, reparations, or the release of frozen assets.
Iran has yet to respond officially to the latest U.S. proposal. Its chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, expressed skepticism, stating that actions rather than promises would determine progress and implying distrust toward guarantees. He suggested that preparedness for conflict might be the true measure of any agreement's validity.
The conflict, initiated by the U.S. and Israel earlier this year, has resulted in thousands of casualties, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and disrupted the global economy by restricting traffic through the Hormuz Strait— a crucial passage for international oil shipments. Following news of the potential deal, oil prices fell and stock markets improved.
Internationally, Kazakhstan indicated willingness to accept uranium enriched near weapons-grade levels from Iran under a possible deal, according to Rafael Grossi, head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog. Kazakhstan manages an internationally supervised bank of low-enriched uranium for civilian nuclear fuel, a component of the proposed framework to control Iran’s nuclear activities.