Days from possible breakthrough, Trump sends Iran deal back for revision, wants stricter nuclear and Hormuz clauses: Report

US President Donald Trump has requested several changes to a proposed agreement negotiated by his envoys with Iranian officials, according to multiple media reports published on Saturday (May 30). The reported revisions follow a two-hour meeting Trump held with his national security team in the Situation Room on Friday. While the White House did not immediately disclose details of the discussions, officials familiar with the matter said the president sought to strengthen key provisions of the draft agreement.

According to The New York Times, Trump directed his team to revise the framework to impose tougher conditions before sending the updated proposal back to Tehran. The newspaper did not provide specific details on the requested amendments.

However, Axios reported that the changes focus on stricter provisions concerning Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital maritime route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil shipments pass.

Trump later took to his Truth Social platform, claiming that Washington and Tehran were nearing a peace agreement and asserting that the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was being lifted. Iranian officials rejected those claims, insisting that negotiations over a ceasefire arrangement were still ongoing and that no final agreement had been reached.

Situation Room discussions centred on key sticking points

Trump is reportedly eager to secure a deal with Iran in the near term, but several contentious issues remain unresolved. One of the principal areas of disagreement concerns Iran’s enriched uranium programme. According to Axios, Trump asked his advisers to revise provisions dealing with Tehran’s nuclear activities, particularly regarding the handling and transfer of nuclear material.

“It’s more specifics about how the US gets the material and the timing,” a senior US official told Axios.

The report added that Trump also sought changes to the language governing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The latest revisions could extend negotiations for several more days. Iranian officials are expected to respond to the amended proposal within approximately three days, according to the report.

Trump says military option remains available

While expressing optimism about the prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough, Trump also warned that military action remains an option should negotiations fail.

“We are making a great deal; otherwise we’ll just go back and finish it off militarily. We’re close to a very good deal, and if we can make it good, otherwise we just start up with the Department of War,” Trump told Fox News in an interview.

The president also reiterated his position on the Strait of Hormuz, saying the waterway would be reopened immediately after the signing of a peace agreement.

“We’ve essentially defeated their military. I would rather get a deal because we can open the strait immediately upon signing. The one guarantee that I have is that there will be no nuclear weapons. They’ve agreed to that,” Trump said.