Iran Nuclear Deal 75% Complete, Days Away From Finish
The Trump administration estimates a 75 to 80 percent chance of finalizing a peace deal with Iran within days that would eliminate its uranium stockpile.
A senior US official told journalists that American negotiators believe there is a 75 to 80 percent chance of signing the deal in the coming days, according to New York Post. The assessment comes after President Donald Trump announced Thursday that an agreement had been reached in principle.
“We have received assurances from Pakistan and Qatar that Iranians are ready to sign,” the official stated during a briefing with reporters. However, the official cautioned that no formal deal exists until signatures are secured.
The potential agreement follows intense diplomatic efforts, including in-person negotiations led by Vice President JD Vance in Pakistan on April 11-12. Vance was expected to travel to Europe to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iranian officials, though no specific travel plans have been confirmed.
Key Terms of Proposed Agreement
The memorandum of understanding would address several critical issues, as New York Post reports. The framework calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, initiating sanctions relief, and establishing procedures to destroy or remove Iran’s estimated 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium.
American negotiators have explored options that would allow Tehran to save face, including diluting the uranium stockpile on Iranian soil or transferring it to a neutral nation such as Pakistan for destruction. The uranium is currently stored at three separate locations within Iran.
A senior US official characterized the new agreement as fundamentally different from the failed 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated by the Obama administration. Unlike that flawed deal, which permitted Iran to accumulate dangerous nuclear material, the current proposal would eliminate the existing stockpile entirely.
Financial Disputes and Iranian Claims
US officials have firmly rejected reports suggesting Iran would receive immediate financial compensation upon signing. Any sanctions relief would be conditional on Iranian compliance with the agreement’s terms.
Negotiations have been complicated by Iranian demands to access $6 billion in assets held by Qatar, funds that would be designated for purchasing food and medical supplies.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency released what it claimed was a 14-point blueprint of the memorandum Friday, alleging the United States would release $24 billion in frozen assets and provide $300 billion in reconstruction funding. The report triggered alarm among Israeli officials and conservative American lawmakers.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina condemned the alleged terms, comparing them to a Marshall Plan for Germany while the Nazis remained in power.
Trump Rejects Iranian Leak as False
President Trump swiftly dismissed the Iranian media report as fabricated, taking to social media to denounce what he called dishonest negotiating tactics.
Trump wrote that the terms Iran leaked to news outlets bore no resemblance to what had actually been agreed upon in writing, calling the Iranian negotiators dishonorable and demanding they proceed properly.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared to distance himself from the Mehr report, urging media outlets to avoid speculation about the agreement’s contents. Trump subsequently reposted Araghchi’s statement on social media.
Obstacles Remain Despite Progress
The negotiations have been hampered by communication difficulties and factional divisions on both sides favoring prolonged conflict over swift resolution. Dozens of previous announcements have suggested an imminent deal, only for agreements to collapse.
Trump administration officials maintain this time is different, insisting genuine progress has been achieved. Beyond nuclear issues, the proposed framework includes a $200 billion infrastructure investment in Iran by Gulf Arab states, conditional on Tehran’s compliance.
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and American officials would be granted access to verify destruction and removal of nuclear materials under the terms agreed to in principle by Iran.
The full text of the memorandum has not been released publicly, and significant uncertainty remains about whether Iranian leadership will ultimately commit to signing.
With information from New York Post
