The White House said President Donald Trump will only approve a peace agreement with Iran if it fully aligns with his conditions, as uncertainty continues to surround negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
A White House official said Friday that Trump remains committed to securing an agreement that protects U.S. interests and adheres to his longstanding demands, particularly preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines.”
“Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official added.
The remarks came as reports suggested a potential agreement was nearing completion following weeks of intermittent negotiations. However, Iranian officials maintained that no final deal had been reached.
Trump convened a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday to discuss the matter, but no decision was announced afterward.
In a social media post earlier in the day, the U.S. president reiterated key conditions he expects Iran to meet, including a commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons and the reopening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected the tone of the U.S. demands, saying Iran had long abandoned responding to ultimatums.
According to Iranian state media, Baqaei said exchanges of messages between the two sides were continuing but emphasized that “no final agreement has been reached yet.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also signaled openness to a negotiated settlement during a phone conversation with the Emir of Qatar, saying Tehran was prepared to pursue a “dignified framework” for ending the conflict, according to reports from Iranian state news agency IRNA.
Trump claimed in his social media statement that Iran would remove mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow vessels to pass through the waterway without imposing tolls. He also said the United States would lift restrictions affecting Iranian ports and that both countries would coordinate efforts regarding Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.
The U.S. president further stated that no financial transfers would take place between the two sides “until further notice.”
Iranian media, however, challenged several aspects of Trump’s description of the negotiations. Sources cited by Fars News Agency said Tehran was seeking the immediate release of approximately $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before advancing to the next stage of talks.
The same sources reportedly disputed claims that the draft agreement included provisions on toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz and rejected assertions regarding the destruction of Iran’s nuclear materials.
Baqaei also said there were currently no active negotiations concerning Iran’s nuclear program, while senior Iranian officials suggested that Washington’s approach to the talks was contributing to delays in reaching an agreement.
Despite the conflicting accounts, diplomatic contacts between the two sides appear to be continuing as efforts persist to secure a framework that could reduce tensions and bring an end to the conflict.