Washington, May 24 — President Donald Trump said Washington will not hurry into a final agreement with Iran and that the US blockade on Iranian ports will remain fully in place until any deal is formally reached, certified and signed.
In posts on Truth Social, Trump criticized the 2015 Iran nuclear accord negotiated under the Obama administration, calling it a seriously flawed agreement that he said risked enabling Tehran’s nuclear capability. He described the current negotiations led by his administration as the opposite of that earlier framework.
Trump said talks are proceeding “in an orderly and constructive manner” and that he has told US negotiators not to rush, adding that “time is on our side.” He emphasized that both sides should take the time needed to get an agreement right and reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to develop or obtain a nuclear weapon.
The president also thanked Gulf partners for their cooperation and suggested the Abraham Accords framework could expand regionally, even raising the possibility that Iran might be associated with the arrangement in the future.
Trump’s remarks come amid continued diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran as international stakeholders press for a renewed arrangement to address nuclear issues and regional stability.
Earlier, Trump said an agreement had been “largely negotiated” and that US officials were also speaking with leaders in other countries about steps to bolster peace and security in the Gulf, including matters related to the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, Axios reported, citing a US official, that a memorandum outlining a 60-day ceasefire between the US and Iran was in its final stages. According to that report, negotiators were closing remaining gaps on a draft that would tie phased relief to verified performance by Iran — a “relief-for-performance” structure.
If implemented, the draft would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ease pressure on global energy markets in the short term, and create a 60-day window during which negotiators would seek a comprehensive deal to roll back Iran’s nuclear program.
US officials and mediators suggested an announcement could come soon as talks continued. This story is based on syndicated reporting.
