Donald Trump has urged US negotiators to avoid rushing into a deal with Iran, tempering expectations that a breakthrough on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is imminent.
In a post on Truth Social, the US president said talks with Tehran were progressing in an “orderly and constructive manner”, but insisted both sides needed time to reach the right outcome. “Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes,” he wrote.
His comments mark a shift from earlier signals that an agreement was close. Just a day earlier, Trump had suggested that a deal had been “largely negotiated” and that final details were being worked through, raising expectations that an announcement could come shortly.
Instead, the latest remarks suggest negotiations are likely to extend beyond the weekend. A senior administration official confirmed that no agreement would be signed on Sunday, although progress had been made.
At the centre of the discussions is a potential phased arrangement involving the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has been heavily disrupted amid wider tensions with Iran. Reports suggest the proposed deal could extend a fragile ceasefire in place since early April, allowing for a gradual reopening of the waterway over 60 days.
In return, the United States would consider easing sanctions and unfreezing some Iranian assets, depending on Tehran’s compliance. Iran, meanwhile, has been linked to proposals involving the gradual return of vessel traffic through the strait to pre-conflict levels.
Trump also indicated that a US naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place until a formal agreement is reached, signed and certified.
The negotiations follow several days of high-level mediation involving Pakistani and Qatari officials in Tehran, amid growing pressure to stabilise energy markets that have been shaken by repeated disruptions in the region.
Further complicating the talks are parallel discussions over Iran’s nuclear programme. Sources suggest Iran may be asked to dilute or hand over part of its enriched uranium stockpile, while the US would consider phased sanctions relief.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has weighed in on the talks, stressing that any final agreement must remove Iran’s nuclear capability entirely, including dismantling enrichment sites and removing enriched material from the country.
While momentum appears to be building, Trump’s latest remarks underline that a deal is not yet final, and that negotiations may continue for longer than previously expected.
