Donald Trump revealed that Iran is moving closer to reaching an agreement with the United States, while Tehran also stated there has been progress, though no deal is expected in the near future.
On 23 May 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran is getting closer to reaching an agreement to end hostilities with the United States, while Tehran also signaled progress in the past week.
However, both sides remain cautious, with an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stating that the crucial issue of nuclear weapons would not be included in any initial proposals.
Trump told CBS News he has seen a draft agreement with Iran, and when asked if it was good enough, he replied, “I don’t know, I can’t tell you yet,” offering no further details but firmly insisting any deal must absolutely prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I will only sign an agreement if we get everything we want,” Trump said. “We will have a deal; otherwise, they will face consequences unlike any country has ever faced from an attack.”
Esmaeil Bagaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on state television on Saturday that the positions of the U.S. and Iran have moved closer in the past week, but cautioned that this does not mean key issues can be resolved, accusing the Americans of making “contradictory statements.”
“Our plan is to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a framework agreement initially, consisting of 14 provisions,” Reuters quoted Bagaei as saying.
Bagaei added that they are in the final stages of preparing the MOU so they can begin further negotiation rounds within 30 to 60 days, “and ultimately reach a final agreement.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio expressed cautious hope during a visit to India on Saturday, saying there might be updates on progress by the weekend.
Rubio reiterated the U.S. stance that Iran must absolutely not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, and mentioned again the need for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open without Iran charging transit fees.
He also said Iran must return all highly enriched uranium.
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Source:bbc