President Donald Trump indicated the possibility of concluding peace negotiations with Iran ahead of his upcoming visit to China. However, significant differences remain on key issues such as Iran's nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the timeline for a potential agreement uncertain.
On May 6, during a White House event, Trump told reporters, "Iran cannot and will not have nuclear weapons," adding that they have agreed on several points. He noted, "We had very good discussions with Iran over the last 24 hours, and the chances of an agreement are very high."
Reports from CNN and Axios suggest that the U.S. and Iran are discussing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end hostilities. The one-page MOU reportedly includes a temporary halt to Iran's nuclear enrichment, the lifting of U.S. sanctions, and a gradual easing of maritime blockades.
In an interview with PBS, Trump mentioned that the agreement would likely involve the transfer of Iran's enriched uranium to the U.S. and a halt to operations at Iran's underground nuclear facilities. He expressed optimism about reaching an agreement before his trip to China on May 14-15, stating, "It is possible that we will have an agreement before I leave for China."
Axios reported that the White House hopes to finalize negotiations with Iran before Trump's visit. Fox News anchor Bret Baier noted that Trump anticipated a week to reach an agreement, reflecting a cautious optimism.
Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, remarked that Trump has a strong incentive to conclude the conflict before his China visit. He warned that if the war continues, Trump may find himself seeking Xi Jinping's help to persuade Iran to accept U.S. conditions.
Despite Trump's emphasis on progress, he warned that if Iran does not agree, military action would resume. On social media platform Truth Social, he stated, "If they do not agree, bombing will start, and sadly, it will be at a much higher level and intensity than before."
Additionally, the U.S. continues to maintain its maritime blockade against Iran despite the ongoing peace negotiations. The U.S. Central Command reported enforcing a blockade on the oil tanker Hasna, which was heading to an Iranian port.
Iran remains defiant, having implemented new maritime regulations requiring all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz to obtain prior permission. This raises questions about whether key issues like the reopening of the Strait and the nuclear program can be resolved even if negotiations resume.
On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Ebrahim Raisi, spokesperson for Iran's National Security Committee, dismissed reports of nearing an agreement, stating that U.S. hopes for a swift resolution are unrealistic. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Iran's Parliament, also denied claims of progress in negotiations.
Grant Rumley, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, noted that while the Trump administration believes a peace agreement is possible, history shows that negotiations often collapse at the last minute for various reasons.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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