Iran-US negotiations have entered the final sprint stage, yet serious information discrepancies have emerged on the most critical terms. While Trump announced that an agreement has been "basically reached," the statements from both the US and Iran regarding the disposal of high-enriched uranium and the management of the Strait of Hormuz are completely contradictory, leaving the true nature of a memorandum still shrouded in heavy mist.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Trump posted on social media on the 23rd, stating that the US and Iran have "basically reached" an agreement involving the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, pending final confirmation from both sides and related countries. "The final details of the agreement are being discussed and will be announced as soon as possible."
According to CCTV News, one of the core elements of the agreement is Iran's commitment to hand over its high-enriched uranium stockpile. However, Iran immediately issued a strong denial, calling the related reports "completely untrue," and stated that current negotiations focus solely on ceasing hostilities, with nuclear issues not even mentioned. The manner and timeline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz also differ between the two sides.
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blockaded by Iran since the early stages of the war, putting sustained pressure on global energy prices. If the agreement is implemented, it could partially alleviate supply pressures. However, deep-seated disagreements over nuclear terms and the high level of ambiguity in the agreement details leave significant uncertainty about its finalization. US Republican hawks have already voiced strong opposition.
US Version: Handing Over Uranium Stockpile Is a Key Condition
According to The New York Times, citing two anonymous US officials, the core elements of the ongoing negotiations include Tehran's explicit commitment to abandon its high-enriched uranium stockpile. According to International Atomic Energy Agency data, Iran currently holds about 970 pounds (approximately 440 kilograms) of uranium enriched to 60%.
US officials stated that the specific disposal method for the uranium stockpile would be determined separately in subsequent nuclear negotiations. However, US negotiators have clearly warned Iran through intermediaries that if the initial agreement does not include commitments related to the uranium stockpile, the US will abandon negotiations and resume military operations.
The core framework of this memorandum of understanding is to end the war, gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and initiate at least 30 days of follow-up negotiations.
According to Axios, citing a US official, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be signed by both sides would be valid for 60 days and could be extended by mutual agreement. The draft agreement includes Iran's commitment to "never seek nuclear weapons" and provisions for negotiations on suspending uranium enrichment projects and removing high-enriched uranium stockpiles, while also allowing Iran to freely sell oil during this period.
Regarding economic terms, according to The New York Times, citing US officials, Iran would only be able to regain its frozen overseas assets after both sides finalize a nuclear agreement. The related funds would be injected into a so-called "reconstruction fund" proposed by the US and its allies to maintain Iran's willingness to negotiate.
Iran's Version: Nuclear Issues Not Mentioned at All
Statements from Iranian officials differ significantly from the US version.
According to The New York Times, citing three anonymous senior Iranian officials, the memorandum agreed upon by Tehran includes ceasing hostilities on all fronts (including Lebanon), reopening the Strait of Hormuz without charging any passage fees, lifting the US maritime blockade, and releasing $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets overseas. The three officials explicitly stated that the memorandum makes no mention of Iran's nuclear program, and nuclear issues will be negotiated separately within 30 to 60 days.
According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, citing informed sources, Iran has never proposed a 10-year suspension of uranium enrichment to the US, and related reports are incorrect. All recent exchanges between Iran and the US have been limited to ceasing hostilities. Iran explicitly rejected claims from The New York Times and US officials that "Iran has agreed to hand over high-enriched uranium and suspend uranium enrichment for 10 years," calling such reports "completely untrue."
Strait of Hormuz: Reopening Roadmap Still in Dispute
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global oil and gas transportation channel. Since it was effectively blockaded by Iran in the early stages of the war, global energy prices have risen sharply. If the agreement is implemented, this situation could be alleviated. However, the manner and timeline for reopening the strait remain inconsistent between the two sides.
Iran explicitly stated that Trump's remarks about "the Strait of Hormuz will be opened" are "incomplete."
Iran emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under its management. According to the latest exchanged texts, even if an agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz will continue to be "managed" by Iran. Additionally, while Iran has agreed to restore the number of ships allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels, this does not mean the strait will return to its pre-war "free passage" state.
According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, citing informed sources, the draft memorandum sets a 30-day deadline for procedures related to the Strait of Hormuz, requiring that the number of passable ships be restored to pre-war levels within 30 days.
According to The New York Times, citing three Iranian officials, the strait will be opened to commercial vessels free of charge, and Iran will not collect passage fees. At the same time, the US must lift its maritime blockade on Iran. According to Axios, citing a US official, the faster Iran clears mines and restores shipping, the faster the blockade will be lifted.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on social media, stating that Iran "seeks peace with strength, advances diplomacy with dignity, and firmly defends territorial integrity, independence, and rights." Iranian diplomat Baghaei referenced a historical anecdote from the 3rd century AD involving the Roman Empire and Persia on platform X, implying that the Roman emperor was ultimately forced to compromise with the Persians, without directly mentioning Trump or the nuclear agreement.
High-Enriched Uranium Disposal: The Biggest Disagreement in the Agreement
The issue of high-enriched uranium is the core topic with the deepest disagreements and the hardest to bypass in this round of negotiations.
According to The New York Times, citing US officials, military planners have prepared multiple sets of plans for Trump to strike Iran's uranium stockpile, including using bunker-busting bombs to attack the underground storage area at the Isfahan nuclear facility. This facility was targeted by US Tomahawk missiles last year, burying most of the high-enriched uranium underground.
Additionally, Trump considered authorizing joint US-Israeli commando operations to directly retrieve the uranium stockpile, but this high-risk plan was ultimately not approved. US officials also pointed out that there is a precedent from the 2015 Obama administration's nuclear agreement: Iran could transfer its uranium stockpile to Russia or convert it into low-enriched forms that cannot be directly used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
Iran strongly denied reports from US media that it had committed to handing over its high-enriched uranium stockpile.
According to Tasnim News Agency, Iran has not accepted any arrangements regarding its nuclear program, and such claims are labeled as "completely untrue." Three Iranian officials also told The New York Times that the final disposal of nuclear issues will be negotiated separately within 30 to 60 days after the initial memorandum is signed.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz expressed "deep concern" about the potential agreement, stating that if the agreement allows Iran to continue enriching uranium, develop nuclear weapons, and effectively control the Strait of Hormuz, it would be a "disastrous mistake." Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker criticized the agreement even before Trump announced it was close to being reached, stating that a 60-day ceasefire would nullify the achievements of previous military operations.
Multiple Countries Push Forward, Agreement Awaits Official Confirmation
Despite ongoing disputes over nuclear terms, several Middle Eastern and Muslim countries have expressed support.
According to The New York Times, citing three anonymous Middle Eastern officials, leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain all expressed support for the plan during a phone conference led by Trump and urged him to accept it. Pakistan and Qatar are reportedly the main intermediary mediators facilitating the draft memorandum, with the only face-to-face negotiations between the two sides to date also held in Pakistan.
Trump stated that he had spoken separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the agreement, describing the progress as "very smooth." However, Netanyahu's office has not yet issued an official response. It remains unclear whether the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah will be included in the agreement framework.
Currently, neither the US nor Iran has officially confirmed the content of the agreement. Whether the agreement can be finalized amid detailed disagreements remains to be seen.
