Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted Friday on X that an agreement “has never been closer.” He gave no details, saying a final deal was still pending.
The apparent breakthrough in negotiations comes after Iran exchanged fire with the U.S. and Israel over three days this week, threatening to return the Middle East to full-scale war.
The regional officials said the emerging deal is expected to pave the way for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the phased lifting of sanctions on Iran, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. These officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, declined to discuss further details.
A senior U.S. official said key terms in the emerging agreement include the removal and destruction of Iran’s nuclear material and the dismantling of Tehran's nuclear program. The terms also include Iran agreeing not to fund terrorist groups, the official said.
The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to provide details about the sensitive talks.
Underscoring the fragility of the talks, President Trump on Friday lashed out at Iranian officials on social media and said: “They better get their act together, and FAST!”
Iran's nuclear program has been a key point of division. The U.S. and Israel fear it could lead to an atomic weapon — a main reason their leaders cited for going to war. Tehran has insisted its nuclear efforts are for peaceful purposes.
Also critical is Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil and natural gas.
The U.S. has responded since mid-April with a naval blockade of Iranian ports to choke off Iran’s own oil exports.
The regional officials said they expect a signing ceremony for the agreement in the coming days after officials in Washington and Tehran approve it.
“This deal has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday in a social media post, without releasing details.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel was not a party to the deal being negotiated. But in a statement issued on Friday, Netanyahu said he and Trump were in “full agreement” that Iran must not have nuclear weapons.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement Friday he expects Trump to advocate for Israel’s interests. Katz warned that Israel could still act independently toward Iran and said the country would not pull out of the zones it is occupying in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, nor would it withdraw from the northern refugee camps in the West Bank.
