US and Iran Agree on Ceasefire Extension Framework
Negotiators representing the United States and Iran have reached an agreement on a framework for a deal that would extend their current ceasefire by 60 days and initiate negotiations concerning the future of Iran's nuclear programme, according to US sources.
These US sources informed the BBC that the proposed ceasefire extension has not yet received approval from the leadership of either nation.
Regional Tensions and Recent Attacks
The agreement emerges amid renewed hostilities in the region. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported targeting an American air base following fresh US strikes on southern Iran overnight. Both Iran and the US have accused each other of violating the fragile ceasefire in recent days.
Details of the Draft Memorandum of Understanding
On Wednesday, Iranian state media disclosed elements of what they described as an unofficial draft of a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU). The report outlined several key points, including the lifting of Washington's naval blockade of Iranian ports, the withdrawal of US forces from the "vicinity of Iran," and the restoration of non-military traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The draft also proposed that Iran and Oman would jointly manage and route vessels through this critical shipping channel.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime passage, with approximately one-fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas and oil transiting through it. Its closure has had significant repercussions on global fuel trade.
In response, the White House issued a brief statement dismissing the purported MOU draft as a "complete fabrication."
Progress and Challenges in Negotiations
Both parties indicated progress toward an agreement late last week, fueling speculation that an official announcement was imminent. Since the initial ceasefire between the US and Iran took effect on 8 April, then-President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that the two sides were close to a deal and that negotiations were advancing. However, hopes for a negotiated resolution have repeatedly been dashed.
For example, talks held in Islamabad shortly after the ceasefire began concluded without any substantive agreement. In nearly every instance, including as recently as Wednesday, Trump and other officials have cautioned that "option B," a return to combat operations, remains a possibility.
Last week, Trump informed reporters that he had been an hour away from ordering renewed strikes on Iran but refrained at the request of US allies.
During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump stated that talks were progressing but emphasized that the Iranian proposal was "not there yet" and that further work was necessary.
It remains unclear what developments occurred in the following 24 hours or when, or even if, Trump will grant final approval for the ceasefire extension agreement.
Implications for Nuclear Negotiations
Approval of the ceasefire extension would enable US and Iranian teams to engage in discussions on more complex and technical issues, particularly concerning Iran's nuclear programme and its remaining stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Trump has suggested that the US could take possession of the uranium, or that it could be diluted either in place or at a third location in cooperation with Iran.
Axios, which first reported the tentative agreement on Thursday, indicated that Trump had been briefed on the proposal but had not immediately approved it, intending to take a few days to consider the matter.
The confirmation from US sources of the anonymously sourced Axios report on the agreement's contours is unusual, implying that the two sides may be closer to a deal than at any previous point during the more than six-week-old ceasefire.
Provisions of the Tentative Deal
Reports suggest the deal could permit "unrestricted" passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran given 30 days to remove mines from the narrow shipping channel.
The US would also lift its blockade and issue sanction waivers to allow Iran to resume oil sales.
Official Statements from the White House
At a White House briefing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declined to confirm that an agreement had been reached.
"It's always a mistake to get out ahead of the president," he said, "and it is all going to be the president's decision."
When asked whether any eventual peace deal would include "reconstruction" assistance for Iran, he responded:
"We've got to get to the deal before we get to the other side."
