US And Iran Report Progress On Talks Ending War

World

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would discuss the latest Iran draft agreement with advisers and might make a decision on Sunday

By Reuters Published: 2026-05-23T20:09:00+04:00 2 min read

A US Navy fighter jet takes off from aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea as US and Iran continue negotiations to extend ceasefire. (Photo: US Central Command)

A US Navy fighter jet takes off from aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea as US and Iran continue negotiations to extend ceasefire. (Photo: US Central Command)

Iran, the United States and mediator Pakistan all said on Saturday that progress had been made in talks on ending almost three months of war.

Iran said it was focused on finalising a memorandum of understanding after its top officials met Asim Munir, the army chief of Pakistan.

The Pakistani army said the negotiations had resulted in "encouraging" progress towards a final understanding. "An MOU is being fine-tuned," said a Pakistani security official who was briefed on ⁠Munir's visit. Sources have told Reuters the proposed framework would unfold in three stages: formally ending the war, resolving the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and launching a 30-day window for negotiations on a broader agreement, which can be extended.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would discuss the latest Iran draft agreement with advisers and might make a decision on Sunday on whether to resume attacks ‌on Iran, Axios reported, citing an interview with Trump.

"Either we reach a good deal or I'll blow them to a thousand hells," Axios quoted him as saying.

TRUMP TO SPEAK WITH MIDDLE EAST LEADERS

Trump, whose ratings have been hit by the war's impact on energy prices for U.S. consumers, said ‌on Friday he would not attend his son's wedding this weekend, citing Iran among the reasons he planned ‌to stay in Washington.

Pakistan's mediation push ‌aims to narrow differences between Iran and the U.S. after weeks of war that have left the vital Hormuz waterway closed to most shipping despite a nervous ceasefire, upending global energy markets.

U.S. ​Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeated ‌Trump's demands: "Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. ​The straits need to be open without tolls. They need ⁠to turn over their enriched uranium."

Rubio, who is visiting India, said some progress had been made and work was continuing.

"Even as I speak to you now, there's some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it's later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something ​to say," Rubio told reporters in ⁠New Delhi.

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