US official says Washington, Tehran reach preliminary deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz: reports
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are visible near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran on May 22, 2026. Photo: Reuters
The US and Iran agreed in principle to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for Tehran's commitment to dispose of its highly enriched uranium, a US official said, according to a report by The New York Times on Sunday.
The official said that the agreement had not yet been signed and remained subject to final approval by US President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a process that could take several days, noting that the method for disposing of Iran’s highly enriched uranium was still being negotiated.
The proposed deal does not address Iran’s missile stockpile nor include a moratorium on uranium enrichment, the official said, adding that these issues were expected to be handled in future rounds of talks.
The U.S. and Iran have agreed in principle to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz with a commitment from Iran to dispose of their highly enriched uranium, a U.S. official said on Sunday. The official added that the deal has not yet been signed. https://t.co/qCxlKWLVrd
According to a Fox News report on Sunday, the official suggested that the US could consider “significant accommodations” on sanctions relief if Iran agreed to make similar concessions regarding its enriched uranium stockpile.
“Our plan is to deal with all of their stockpile of the enriched material,” the official said, adding that Washington sees Tehran making “serious accommodations” not previously seen in earlier negotiations, according to the report.
The official also rejected the idea of any “tolling” mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz, saying such an arrangement would not be acceptable and had not been proposed by either side, the report noted.
According to a separate CBS News report, the official said the administration viewed the emerging agreement as stronger than the 2015 nuclear deal reached under former US President Barack Obama, which allowed uranium enrichment up to certain levels.
As part of the agreement, the US would lift its blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports. The official said the US Central Command and Gulf partners would coordinate to ensure safe passage, stressing this should not be viewed as a toll system.
The official also said US Vice President JD Vance, Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner had been involved in the talks, adding that Washington was seeking to include all regional allies in the process, the report added.
Blockade will remain in full force until agreement is signed: Trump on Iran deal
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that a blockade on Iran would remain in “full force and effect” until a formal agreement on the nuclear issue is reached, certified and signed.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that negotiations with Iran were proceeding in an “orderly and constructive” manner, adding that he had instructed his representatives “not to rush into a deal”, arguing that time was on their side.
He stressed that both sides must take adequate time to ensure the agreement is correctly finalised, warning that “there can be no mistakes” in the process.
Reiterating his administration’s position, Trump said Iran must not be allowed to develop or acquire a nuclear weapon, while also suggesting that relations between Washington and Tehran were becoming more “professional and productive”.
Iran not seeking nuclear weapons, but ‘honour and dignity’ non-negotiable: Pezeshkian
Iran is ready to reassure the international community that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons or instability in the region, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday.
“Prior to the martyrdom of Ayatollah (Ali) Khamenei, Iran’s late Leader, we declared -- and we reiterate now -- that we are ready to assure the world we do not seek nuclear weapons," Pezeshkian said in remarks carried by state-run news agency IRNA.
“It is rather Tel Aviv that is driving regional instability,” he said, accusing Israel of pursuing a vision of "Greater Israel." Iranian negotiators will never compromise on the country's “honor and dignity,” added Pezeshkian.
President @drpezeshkian: No compromise on Iran's honor and pride pic.twitter.com/UpRtgtEuGo
His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran to end the war was "largely negotiated" and awaited finalisation.
Earlier, Pezeshkian said that no decision will be made without the permission of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, referring to the potential US-Iran deal, Al Jazeera reported.
“Any statement, analysis or position that leads to division in society is, in effect, pouring water on the enemy’s damage,” he was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.
“No decision in the country will be made outside the framework of the Supreme National Security Council and without the permission of the Supreme Leader. The administration of the country requires a single decision and collective obedience,” he added.
He called on IRIB to act as a promoter of national cohesion, warning that Iran's enemies would never achieve their objectives if all actors remained aligned with the Leader's directives.
Tasnim reported on Sunday that US obstruction has prevented the finalisation of a differences-settlement framework, warning that if it continues, "there will be no possibility of finalising the memorandum of understanding."
The source emphasised that Iran remains firm on securing its people's rights and has conveyed this position directly to the Pakistani mediator.
Netanyahu told Trump Israel will remain free to act against threats, Israeli source says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump Israel would remain free to act against threats in Lebanon during a phone call about an emerging agreement between Washington and Iran on Saturday, an Israeli source said.
Trump said Washington and Iran had "largely negotiated" a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping passage that has been effectively closed since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in February.
"In last night's conversation with President Trump, the Prime Minister emphasised that Israel will maintain freedom of action against threats in all arenas, including Lebanon, and President Trump reiterated and supported this principle," the Israeli political source told Reuters on Sunday, asking not to be named.
Expectations rose that a breakthrough might be imminent in the three-month-old war after Trump said an emerging agreement being brokered by Pakistan would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Fars news agency said the draft stipulates that the US and its allies will not attack Iran or its allies, and in return Iran pledges not to launch preemptive attacks on them.
"President Trump made it clear that he will stand firm in negotiations on his consistent demand for the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program and the removal of all enriched uranium from its territory," the source said, "and that he will not sign a final agreement without these conditions being met".
Iran says potential memorandum with US includes end of war on all fronts
A potential memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and the US includes an end of the war on all fronts, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
This includes Israel's attacks in Lebanon, and that Washington would also commit to waiving sanctions on Iran's oil during negotiations.
If the agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz will not fully return to its pre-war status; instead, the number of ships allowed to pass would be restored to pre-war levels within 30 days, according to Tasnim.
Iran, the news agency said, emphasises the enforcement of its sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz through various means, the details of which will be announced later.
Meanwhile, Iran insists on at least a partial release of its frozen assets, and a potential deal would also include a 60-day negotiation window on Iran's nuclear program.
Tehran also calls for the lifting of the US blockade of its ports, arguing that no changes will be made in the strait if the blockade remains in place.
Any changes to navigation and transit through the strategic waterway will also depend on the implementation of the US's other commitments in the memorandum of understanding, the report said.
Rubio says progress made on 'outline' to open Strait of Hormuz 'without toll'
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that progress has been made on an "outline" to open the Strait of Hormuz "without toll" but that would need "full Iranian acceptance and then compliance."
"Some progress has been made, significant progress, although not final progress has been made," Rubio told reporters in Indian capital New Delhi, referring to ongoing indirect talks between the US and Iran, mediated by Pakistan.
On the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said: "This is an international waterway. They don't own it. It's an international waterway."
Emphasising a diplomatic solution, Rubio said the US has "made some progress over the last 48 hours working with our partners in the Gulf region on an outline."
The outline, he added, "that could ultimately, if it succeeds, leave us not just with a completely open straits -- and I mean open straits without tolls -- and with addressing some of the key things that underpin what has been Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions in the past."
"Obviously," Rubio stressed, "that will require full Iranian acceptance and then compliance, and it will require some future work on negotiating the details."
US President Donald Trump held a phone call with regional leaders on Saturday night to discuss ongoing indirect talks with Iran. According to him, an agreement was "largely negotiated" and awaited finalisation.
"The ultimate goal is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon," Rubio said.
He said the Iranian nuclear program was a "highly technical" matter, "one that would probably need to be addressed over some period of time."
The "preference" of the US “is to address this through diplomatic means, and that's what we're endeavoring to do here. I think we've made some progress. I'm always cautious when I say that because you can agree to things on paper," he said.
"But I do think perhaps there is the possibility that over the next few hours the world will get some good news, at least with regards to the straits," Rubio said. "Significant progress, although not final progress, has been made."
Iran accuses Rubio of 'attempting' to 'distort realities'
Iran on Sunday accused US secretary of state of "attempting" to "distort realities," rejecting his remarks on global energy markets and Tehran's nuclear program during his ongoing India visit.
"Such allegations constitute a clear attempt to distort the realities of the region and to deflect attention from the destabilising policies of the United States and the Zionist regime," the Iranian Embassy in India said in a statement.
Rubio on Saturday said the US would not let Iran hold the energy market "hostage," and that Tehran can never have a nuclear weapon.
"What has held the global energy market hostage over recent years has been the unlawful and unjust sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran’s oil exports; sanctions that have been designed and enforced in violation of the principles of international law and the charter of the United Nations, with the aim of exerting economic pressure on the Iranian nation," the statement said.
"These two regimes (US and Israel) are the principal drivers behind the escalation of global security and energy crises and seek to advance their political and military objectives through the creation of instability and insecurity," it added.
With regard to Rubio's remarks on Iran’s nuclear programme, Tehran recalled that "as a committed member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, it has consistently declared that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and remains under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)."
"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology to be the legitimate and inalienable right of its people and emphasises that it will never relinquish this lawful and internationally recognised right," the statement said.
Iran shoots down Israeli spy drone in country's south: report
Iranian air defenses have shot down an Israeli surveillance drone over the country's southern Hormozgan province, Iran's semi-official news agency Mehr reported on Sunday.
The wreckage of a destroyed Orbiter drone was found in coordination with Iranian naval forces, the outlet added.
Israel has yet to comment on the report.
Iran has not agreed to hand over highly enriched uranium stockpile
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday that Tehran has not agreed to hand over its highly enriched uranium stockpile. The source said Iran's nuclear issue was not part of the preliminary agreement with the US.
"The nuclear issue will be addressed in negotiations for a final agreement and are therefore not part of the current deal. There has been no agreement over Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile to be shipped out of the country," said the source.
Pakistan hopes to host next round of US-Iran peace talks ‘very soon’: PM Shehbaz
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that Pakistan hopes to host the next round of US-Iran talks "very soon," as diplomatic efforts push toward a possible agreement. He pledged that Pakistan would continue its peace efforts "with utmost sincerity."
In a post on X, PM Shehbaz congratulated US President Donald Trump for actively engaging in peace prospects by having a "very useful" and "productive" telephone call on Saturday with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Pakistan.
He also appreciated the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir's role in the process. He noted, "The discussions provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on the current regional situation and how to move the ongoing peace efforts forward to bring lasting peace in the region."
I congratulate President Donald Trump on his extraordinary efforts to pursue peace and for holding a very useful and productive telephone call earlier today, with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the UAE, Jordan and Pakistan. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir…
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said a telephone call led by US President Donald Trump with the leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE and Jordan marked "a significant step closer toward the shared objective of regional peace, stability, and an early diplomatic outcome."
Dar praised Trump's leadership alongside his negotiating team, while also expressing appreciation for the "constructive engagement of the Iranian leadership" in advancing the peace process.
Dar singled out Field Marshal Asim Munir, who he said "played a central role throughout this sensitive and consequential process" and represented Pakistan in Sunday's discussions, and credited PM Shehbaz for his "visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to peace."
He also acknowledged regional partners including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar, saying their support had "contributed meaningfully to this final outcome."
Reaffirming Pakistan's position, Dar said the country "remains firmly committed to supporting all sincere efforts aimed at lasting peace, mutual respect, and regional stability," adding that "dialogue and diplomacy must prevail over conflict and confrontation for the collective prosperity and security of our region and beyond."
Today’s important telephone call led by President Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump with the leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, and Jordan marks a significant step closer toward the shared objective of regional peace, stability, and an early…
Washington and Iran have "largely negotiated" a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said, as expectations rose that a turning point might be imminent in the three-month-old war.
Various media in the US and Iran said the memorandum that could yield an agreement lays out a phased framework for ending months of fighting, reopening the waterway soon and lifting a US blockade on Iran.
Plans for Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, which Washington has insisted it give up, would be negotiated within 30 to 60 days, the reports said. crisis since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in February. He did not say what else would be included in an agreement.
Trump posted on social media that the emerging agreement would reopen the strait, the vital shipping passage whose closure has upended global energy markets since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in February.
Photo: realDonaldTrump/TRUTH SOCIAL
However, Iranian news agency Fars reported early on Sunday that the agreement would allow Iran to manage the strait and that Trump's assertion on the strait was "inconsistent with reality."
Ceasefire deal
The US and Iran are close to signing a 60-day ceasefire extension that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iran to resume oil sales and creating a window for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme, according to a US official familiar with the draft agreement, Axios reported.
The proposed deal, which has not been finalised, could be announced as soon as Sunday.
Officials cautioned, however, that the agreement could still collapse before it is signed.
Read: Iran deal 'largely negotiated': Trump
Under the draft memorandum of understanding, Iran would clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to pass without tolls, according to Axios.
In exchange, Washington would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and issue limited sanctions waivers permitting Tehran to sell oil freely during a 60-day period.
A US official described the arrangement as “relief for performance,” saying economic relief would follow concrete Iranian steps rather than be granted upfront.
The draft also includes Iranian commitments not to pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate suspending uranium enrichment and removing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Any broader sanctions relief or unfreezing of Iranian funds would be discussed during the ceasefire period, but would only be implemented as part of a final, verified agreement.
Further, US forces deployed to the region would remain in place during the 60-day period and would withdraw only if a final deal is reached.
Read More: Iran says US 'betrayals, contradictions, excessive demands' disrupting talks
The agreement also appears linked to efforts to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly raised concerns about that condition in a call Saturday with Trump.
A US official said Israel would still be allowed to act if Hezbollah attempted to rearm or resume attacks.
Several Arab and Muslim leaders, including officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, have backed the diplomatic effort.
Pakistan has played a central mediation role, with Field Marshal Asim Munir travelling to Tehran in an attempt to help finalise the deal.
The White House hopes the remaining issues could be resolved within hours
But US officials said the ceasefire could end early if Washington concludes Iran is not serious about nuclear negotiations.
Arab and Islamic leaders acknowledge Pakistan’s mediation efforts
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman participated in a joint phone call on Saturday with US President Donald Trump and a group of Arab and Islamic leaders to discuss regional developments.
According to an official statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, the call also included King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and CDF Munir.
📞 | HRH the Crown Prince participates in a phone call with US President, Arab, and Islamic Leaders to discuss regional developments. pic.twitter.com/wBki9534jr
The statement said the leaders reviewed the latest regional developments and expressed “deep appreciation for President Trump’s leadership and his commitment to consultation and coordination with regional leaders.”
It further noted that the participants “acknowledged the mediation efforts led by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the endeavors of the State of Qatar, which are aimed at reaching an agreement to halt escalation and bolster regional security and stability.”
EU chief welcomes progress toward US-Iran deal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday welcomed progress toward a possible agreement between the US and Iran, stressing the need for a deal that would reduce tensions and prevent further escalation in the region.
"I welcome the progress towards an agreement between the US and Iran. We need a deal that truly de-escalates the conflict, reopens the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees toll free full freedom of navigation," von der Leyen said on X.
I welcome the progress towards an agreement between the US and Iran.
We need a deal that truly de-escalates the conflict, reopens the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees toll free full freedom of navigation.
Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
It must also end…She reiterated that Iran "must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon" and called on Tehran to end actions she described as "destabilising in the region, directly or through proxies, as well as its unjustified and repeated attacks on its neighbours."
"Europe will continue working with international partners to seize this moment for a lasting diplomatic solution. And to contain the spillover of this conflict, notably on supply chains and energy prices," von der Leyen wrote.
British PM welcomes progress toward US-Iran agreement
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday welcomed progress toward a potential agreement between the US and Iran, stressing the need for international efforts to secure a lasting diplomatic solution.
Starmer said on X that Britain would work with partners to capitalise on the opportunity for long-term stability.
"We need to see an agreement that brings the conflict to an end and reopens the Strait of Hormuz, with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation," he added.
He reiterated the UK's position that Iran "must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon" and said his government would continue efforts to protect British citizens from the impact of the conflict.
"We will work with our international partners to seize this moment and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement," Starmer said.