Details of a possible agreement between the United States and Iran are beginning to emerge after US President Donald Trump said negotiations aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East have made major progress.
Trump said on Saturday that a deal had been “largely negotiated” following discussions with Israel and several key regional allies, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain.
He said the final details of the agreement were still under discussion and would be announced soon.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged caution, saying important progress had been made but the negotiations were not yet complete.
Speaking during a visit to India, Rubio said he hoped there would be positive developments within hours. He added that one of Trump’s key goals was to remove fears over Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.
According to two regional officials familiar with the talks, Iran has agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and is prepared to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of the proposed deal.
One official said negotiations are continuing over how Iran’s enriched uranium would be handled during a 60-day process. Some of the uranium could be diluted, while the rest may be transferred to another country, possibly Russia.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran currently holds around 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity, close to weapons-grade level.
The draft agreement could also lead to the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz alongside the lifting of US restrictions on Iranian ports, one official said.
Another official said the US may allow Iran to resume oil exports through sanctions waivers. Discussions on easing sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian funds are also expected during the 60-day negotiation period.
Officials said the proposed deal also includes efforts to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and commitments by regional countries not to interfere in each other’s domestic affairs.
The negotiations come after months of tensions following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, which killed senior Iranian officials and disrupted nuclear talks.
Iran later launched attacks on Israel and neighboring countries hosting US military forces, increasing fears across Gulf nations.
Although a ceasefire has been in place since April 7, concerns remain over Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments.
Meanwhile, Israeli leaders remain concerned about the threat posed by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group based in Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told Trump that Israel would continue acting against security threats, including those linked to Lebanon.
According to an Israeli official, Trump insisted that any final agreement must require Iran to fully dismantle its nuclear programme and remove all enriched uranium from the country.
Israel’s Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel said the country was currently taking a “wait-and-see” approach regarding the negotiations.
Despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, clashes have continued, with both sides exchanging attacks.
Lebanese authorities say more than 3,000 people have been killed in the latest fighting, while Israel says several soldiers and civilians have also died in attacks linked to Hezbollah.