United States Vice-President JD Vance has said the US and Iran still need to resolve several major sticking points before a formal agreement to end the ongoing conflict can be reached.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Vance said it was still too early to determine “when or if” the two countries would finalise a deal, despite reports that both sides had agreed on a preliminary framework.
Earlier, US officials told the BBC that Washington and Tehran had reached a memorandum of understanding pending approval from President Donald Trump and Iran’s leadership.
According to reports, the proposed framework would extend the existing ceasefire for 60 days and begin negotiations over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the agreement had neither been finalised nor officially confirmed.
Reports indicated that the proposed framework could guarantee unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz and grant Iran 30 days to remove mines from the key global shipping route.
The proposal also reportedly includes lifting the US naval blockade and granting sanction waivers to allow Iran resume crude oil exports.
One-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making the waterway one of the most critical energy trade routes globally.
US-based news outlet Axios reported that Trump had been briefed on the proposal but had not yet approved it, choosing instead to review the framework over several days.
Speaking in Washington DC, Vance said negotiators were still debating “a couple of language points,” including disagreements surrounding uranium enrichment.
“We’re not there yet, but we’re very close and we’re going to keep on working at it,” he said.
The United States has consistently demanded that Iran stop producing highly enriched uranium and dispose of its existing stockpile, arguing that the material could potentially be used to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and insists it is not pursuing nuclear arms.
Vance expressed optimism about the ongoing negotiations, saying the US believes Iran is negotiating in “good faith.”
Iranian state media earlier reported details of what it described as an unofficial 14-point draft agreement between both countries.
The reported draft included provisions for lifting Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports, withdrawing US forces from areas near Iran, and restoring civilian maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz under joint Iranian and Omani management.
The White House dismissed the alleged memorandum as a “complete fabrication.”
Since the initial ceasefire between the US and Iran came into effect on April 8, Trump has repeatedly claimed that both sides were nearing an agreement, although no formal breakthrough has yet been announced.
The US president is reportedly facing growing domestic and international pressure to bring the conflict to an end.
Pressure has come from Gulf allies, opposition Democrats, and some Republican lawmakers concerned about the duration and economic impact of the war.
Thursday’s conflicting reports highlighted the fragile and uncertain nature of the negotiations, with both sides continuing to dispute claims surrounding the proposed agreement.
US officials have also warned that “option B” — a return to military operations — remains possible if negotiations fail.
An extension of the ceasefire is expected to provide additional time for both sides to address more complex issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high despite the truce.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted a US military base in the region on Thursday following fresh US strikes on southern Iran overnight.
Iranian state media also claimed that Iranian forces shot down a US aircraft, possibly a drone.
However, US Central Command denied the reports, stating that no US aircraft had been lost and that all air assets remained fully accounted for.
