US-Iran talks on ending war focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran appeared to be moving towards an agreement to halt the war. The talks also aimed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that negotiations were going well. Trump repeated that fighting would restart if there was no deal.

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The timing and process for a final deal remained unclear. It was also unknown when each step would begin. Information came from two regional officials and a US official. All three spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

United States and Iran deal talks on ending the war

An Iranian team headed by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf travelled to Qatar on Monday. It was not clear what topics the group would cover there. Last month, Ghalibaf held face-to-face talks in Pakistan. Those talks were with Vice President JD Vance.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said progress had been made. Baghaei said many issues already had shared understandings. Baghaei added: "To say that this means an agreement is on the verge of being signed is not something anyone can claim,\". Baghaei also said work still remained.

United States and Iran deal terms linked to Hezbollah and proxies

Tehran had said any agreement must stop fighting on every front. That included Lebanon, where Hezbollah has fought Israel since day two. The war began 12 weeks earlier after US and Israeli attacks. Those strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials.

Both regional officials said a draft included ending the Israel-Hezbollah war. They also said it included a pledge not to meddle in other states. The reference was to Iranian backing for proxies. These included Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hamas militants in Gaza, and Shiite armed groups in Iraq.

One regional official said the US wanted Israel to act freely in Lebanon. Iran rejected that demand, the official said. A US official said the deal would protect Israel’s right to act. The US official said it applied to imminent threats and self-defence.

United States and Iran deal impact on the Strait of Hormuz

A fragile ceasefire held from April 7, despite some attacks. There were occasional drone and missile strikes on the United Arab Emirates. There were also exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz. A lasting truce would help global shipping and allow rebuilding of key infrastructure.

Before the war, the strait was open to international vessels. Then Iran’s leverage over the route became a major global worry. Hundreds of ships were stranded with oil and goods. Cargo included natural gas and fertiliser. Prices rose sharply, reaching far beyond the region.

The emerging plan would reopen the strait in stages, officials said. This would happen as the US ended its blockade of Iranian ports. The US imposed the blockade on April 17, they said. The measures limited Iran’s oil exports and cut access to cash.

One official said the US would allow Iranian oil sales through sanctions waivers. The official said sanctions relief would be discussed over 60 days. The same period would cover releasing billions in frozen Iranian funds. A US official confirmed the 60-day window.

United States and Iran deal and highly enriched uranium stockpile

Iran’s nuclear work remained central to the wider dispute. The US and Israel had considered complex missions to seize enriched uranium. Under the possible deal, Tehran would give up its stockpile, regional officials said. One official said the method would be decided during the 60 days.

The official said some uranium would likely be diluted, with the rest moved abroad. Russia had offered to take it, the official said. A US official said sanctions relief depended on the handover. The US official said if Iran kept the stockpile, relief would not happen.

Baghaei said: \"The focus of the negotiations is on ending the war, and at this stage we are not discussing the details of the nuclear issue.\" Iran held 440.9 kilograms, or 972 pounds, enriched up to 60%. The International Atomic Energy Agency said 90% is weapons-grade.

Iran said it had a right to nuclear technology and said the program was peaceful. On Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke to state TV. Pezeshkian said they were ready to assure the world that we are not after a nuclear weapon.

United States and Iran deal gaps: missiles, enrichment and leadership change

Trump posted online on Monday: \"Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or no Deal at all - Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before - And nobody wants that!\" The message underlined both optimism and warning.

Several points still seemed unresolved despite the reported progress. Questions remained on whether Iran could enrich uranium and at what level. The future of Iran’s missile programme also remained unclear. Israel viewed those missiles as a major threat, according to the report.

The US and Israel had entered the war with stated goals. These included dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme and limiting missiles. They also sought an end to support for armed proxies. Early in the year, protests had raised hopes of political change, but leadership change talks now seemed absent.

There also appeared to be no mention of earlier Iranian demands. The report did not describe any US troop withdrawal from the region. It also did not mention reparations for war damage. For now, officials said the draft still needed more work and key details remained undecided.

With inputs from PTI