After earlier suggesting that an agreement ending the Iran War was near, President Donald J. Trump has said that he has told negotiators “not to rush into a deal” as discussions continue.
Reporting has indicated that many details in the proposed plan still need to be worked out, and that it will take time for it to go through multiple approvals in the Iranian government. According to a senior Trump administration official, “Our understanding is that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei approved the broad template of the agreement, but whether this will turn into a final agreement is still an open question.”
The deal under consideration would open the Strait of Hormuz, and would involve future negotiations surrounding Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. Some Republican leaders criticized the agreement from a hardline perspective, including Senator Thom Tillis, who said, “Now we’re talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran? How does that make sense at all?” Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State during Trump’s first term, compared the proposed deal to something that could have been negotiated under President Barack Obama.
Current Secretary of State Marco Rubio hit back at such criticisms, claiming that it was “absurd” to think that Trump would agree to a deal that would place Iran in a stronger nuclear position. He also indicated that discussions on an agreement were still ongoing, saying, “I think we’ve made some progress. I’m always cautious when I say that because you can agree to things on paper; they actually have to be implemented.”
Destroying Tehran’s nuclear ability was the stated rationale for the Iran War, and the proposed peace plan would involve a 60-day ceasefire extension while the U.S. and Iran negotiated the matter. It is this detail that appears to have prompted claims from Republican hawks that the status quo from before the war would remain unchanged.
Trump has previously expressed frustration with Iran during ongoing talks and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It remains to be seen whether the current proposed deal will be finalized and put an end to the protracted conflict.
