The US and Iran are locked in a dispute over the language of their draft nuclear agreement, with Donald Trump returning a revised memorandum of understanding to Tehran after insisting on tighter wording, a move that has extended the current round of indirect negotiations by at least a week.
American officials cited by CNN said the precise nature of Trump’s amendments has not been fully disclosed, but he is pressing for stricter language on Iran’s nuclear commitments and firmer guarantees around reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has also expressed reservations about the scale of financial relief Tehran might receive under any deal, concerned it would invite comparisons to what he has previously called the weak financial arrangements in the nuclear agreement struck under Barack Obama.
The delay comes a week after Trump declared the deal was nearly complete and a resolution to the standoff was close. He has previously said he is in no rush, provided he gets the outcome he wants. American officials have described progress on the broader talks, with the possibility of a ceasefire, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a move towards more detailed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme all on the table.
The more striking development came from inside Iran. President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly criticised what he called the monopolisation of decision-making by a narrow circle of officials, in remarks widely read as a direct reference to the Revolutionary Guards. Speaking at a meeting with officials from the science ministry, Pezeshkian said the country’s governance should not rest in the hands of a small group, and called for wider involvement of academics and experts in tackling the challenges Iran faces. He said the political and economic pressures on the country required honest communication with the public.
