Iran denies peace deal with US amid truce reports

For all the false starts on an end to this war, something more definitive, if still cautious, from the U .S.Secretary of State this morning.

With regards to the straits and with regards to a process that can ultimately leave us where the president wants us to be, and that is a world that no longer has to be in fear or worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon.And so I do think there's some good news on that front, but not final news on that front.

Stronger still from President Trump, posting, an agreement has largely been negotiated.Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly.In addition to many other elements of the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.But this afternoon, Trump appearing to put the brakes on again, saying the U .S.blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place, that both sides had to take their time to get it right.

If signed, the deal would reportedly see the strait reopened for shipping without Iranian tolls, potentially over a 30 -day period.But a senior Iranian official today said Iran would continue to manage the strait, calling that its legal right.

We are ready to assure the world that we're not seeking nuclear weapons.We're not seeking instability in the region.The source of the instability in the region is Israel.Certainly, we and those participating in the negotiations will in no way compromise on the country's dignity and honor.

Within the flux of changing U .S.war aims, preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon has perhaps been the most constant.But Iran had already committed to just that under the JCPOA, the nuclear deal President Trump withdrew from in 2018.Key to a final deal, the fate of Iran's current stockpile of highly enriched uranium.In Trump's terminology, the nuclear dust that he insists be removed from the country.

Iran reported to have given a verbal commitment on the scope of its potential concessions during 60 days of talks to come.In the meantime, U .remain in the region, signaling their readiness to restart the war, the president perhaps trying to signal his on his truth social platform today. ButBut if that's to be his leverage, Tehran well aware that Trump will be 60 days closer to November's midterm elections, raising the cost of restarting an already unpopular war.His chief economic adviser already selling the upside.

I will let the president decide on whether he thinks the deal is ready to go this week or not.But the bottom line is, once the straits are open, then the tankers are going to go back, and they're going to refill the refineries almost right away.

Another man facing elections this year, Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom the outcome of a war he's so long campaigned for is even more critical.Today, he posted on X that he and President Trump agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger, including removing its enriched nuclear material from its territory.President Trump also reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.Tehran, though, understood to be insisting that any deal with the U .S.would also immediately end the fighting in Lebanon, just one point among several on which, for all the talk of imminent agreement, key differences remain.

Well, joining me now live from Houston, Texas, is Benan Ben Tabloo, a senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.Thank you so much for joining us.Just what do you make of what has happened over the last 24 hours?We've had Donald Trump saying that a deal was largely negotiated.Then a few hours ago, he's telling his diplomats not to rush.

What's going on?Well, it's a pleasure to be with you.Both of these things can be true at the same time, but the boundaries or the distance of the difference is actually considerably less than before.If you remember the 50 -50 between what Donald Trump used to sayconsiderably less this thing across the finish line.It reminds me of a line from the 2015 Iran nuclear negotiations, negotiations and a deal which the president then opposed.

And the line or the mantra about those talks was nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.And I think we're quite literally living that out today in the headlines.

And as you say, it's being reported that there's not much detail at all.But what do you think are the sticking points that will still remain in these negotiations?The straight, for example?

Well, there's the straight, but there's also phasing over the straight, whether the Iranians pull back and allow for a demining mission immediately or a counter mining and minesweeping mission immediately.And who, you know, who is composed of that minesweeping mission?Is it just the U .S.?Is the U .

S.and its international partners?These are some of the more minor or finer sticking points, because it seems to be that both sides have agreed in principle, reportedly, to trade leverage for leverage in the Strait of Hormuz.The Iranians pulling back, the Americans pulling back understanding.over sanctions relief and how quickly, if at all, they can get the frozen assets.So this thing is still not at all near done, despite the hype in the news cycle yesterday.

Sure.And what about Lebanon in all of this?Netanyahu wants freedom to be able to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.Iran wants military action against their allies to be stopped.Can that gap be closed in these negotiations do you think?

Well, I do think this is on the docket, shall we say.You know, it was Iranian pressure last time.I know I have some friends and colleagues in Washington who disagree with me, but it was Iranian pressure last time that got the Lebanese issue with Hezbollah on the docket that led to the U .S.and the Israelis flipping the script on Hezbollah and on Iran and trying to push for some kind of meeting, even an ambassadorial meeting between the Israelis and the Lebanese in Washington hosted by Marco Rubio.Iranians will push for that again.

I do think the Trump administration will want to connect the fronts, connect the dots between the various fronts of fighting.What that will achieve, I'm not quite sure, especially if a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah still allows Israel to go back in.

Sorry, just finally, can I just ask, what's your sense of how long this will take?

Well, I think it could come as early as this week if there is an agreement.But if not, again, the U .S.should be comfortable holding the line on the blockade.This is the single greatest non -kinetic source of leverage against the Islamic Republic.You know, the CENTCOM coalition has intercepted over 100 vessels going to and from Iran's ports.

If the U .S.wants to get into tough negotiations with this regime over things that have been very difficult to tackle before, I don't know how it will do so without this blockade.

Ben and Ben Tabloo, thank you very much for joining us and for your time today.Thank you.

Appreciate it.