US-Iran truce deal awaits Trump as strikes test ceasefire

WASHINGTON

TOPSHOT - An Iranian woman walks past a banner bearing portraits of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L), former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (C), who was assassinated in February 2026, and current supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei (R), in Tehran on May 28, 2026.(AFP)

U.S. and Iranian negotiators edged toward a deal to extend their fragile ceasefire for 60 days, but the potential breakthrough was still hanging on President Donald Trump’s approval, U.S. sources told media on May 29.

The development came after Washington and Tehran accused each other of violating the truce, underscoring the volatility of talks three months after the Middle East war began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The U.S. sources confirmed reporting by Axios that the two sides had agreed on a memorandum of understanding to prolong the ceasefire and launch negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.

Under the proposed deal, shipping through Hormuz would be unrestricted, with no tolls or harassment; Iran would remove all mines within 30 days; and the United States would lift its naval blockade if commercial traffic resumes, Axios reported.

But Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to Tehran’s negotiators, said the text had not been finalized and that Pakistan would be informed if a deal was reached.

Iranian sources cited by local media said any deal would be complete only when announced by Tehran, not unilaterally by Trump.

Late on May 29, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters that Trump was not yet ready to approve it, even though negotiations had “made a lot of progress.”

“We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points,” he added.