US President Donald Trump has announced he is heading to the Situation Room to make a 'final determination' on the proposed Iran peace deal, sparking fresh doubts over whether the two sides are nearing a breakthrough or headed towards another false alarm.
The war, which began on February 28, has dragged on for nearly three months, with a temporary ceasefire agreed on April 8 remaining in place despite sporadic military action.
A report by US media outlet Axios said negotiators from both sides had reached a preliminary understanding on a deal, pending Trump's final approval.
However, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency pushed back against the US narrative, reiterating that no final understanding had been reached.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected suggestions that Tehran was negotiating under American pressure, saying 'The Islamic republic said goodbye to the language of 'must' 47 years ago.'
The proposed arrangement, according to the Axios report, would extend the existing truce by another 60 days while the US and Iran continue discussions over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Trump has repeated his longstanding position that Iran 'will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb' and insisted that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, with all mines in the waterway removed or destroyed.
Iran, however, is demanding the immediate release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before moving ahead, with sources rejecting Trump's claim regarding Hormuz and dismissing the idea of destroying Iran's nuclear material.
The deep mistrust between the two countries continues to shape negotiations, with Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf striking a sceptical tone, saying 'We place no trust in guarantees or words; only actions matter.'
