Trump Holds Situation Room Meeting on Iran Deal But Makes No Final Decision

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump convened a high-level meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday to review the latest version of a tentative peace framework with Iran, but no final decision was announced after roughly two hours of discussions.

Trump had signaled earlier in the day that he was preparing to make a “final determination” on whether to approve a proposed memorandum of understanding that would extend the current fragile ceasefire for 60 days and open the door for more substantive negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and regional behavior. However, following the meeting, officials indicated that while significant progress has been made, Trump has not yet signed off on the deal.

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the emerging framework includes commitments to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted commercial shipping, phased sanctions relief tied to verifiable milestones, and initial steps toward addressing Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities. The agreement would also aim to reduce proxy conflicts, particularly involving Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump has maintained that any final agreement must include strong verification mechanisms to ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. He has repeatedly stressed that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain fully in effect until a certified, enforceable deal is reached. In recent days, he has warned Iran against attempting to “out-wait” the United States and has emphasized that the U.S. is under no pressure to rush into an agreement.

Indirect talks, primarily mediated by Pakistan with support from Qatar, have intensified over the past several weeks. Iranian negotiators have pushed for immediate and broad sanctions relief, while the U.S. has insisted on concrete nuclear concessions upfront. Gulf allies, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have encouraged a diplomatic resolution to prevent further escalation and oil price volatility.

The latest round of discussions comes after recent defensive U.S. strikes on Iranian drone and missile infrastructure near Bandar Abbas. Despite those exchanges, both sides have kept diplomatic channels open. Iranian officials have continued to participate in talks while publicly condemning recent U.S. actions.

As of Friday evening, no new strikes or major escalations have been reported. Markets reacted with cautious optimism to news of the ongoing talks, with oil prices showing modest declines on hopes of restored shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The situation remains highly fluid. Trump has not set a public deadline for his decision, but officials say the coming days will be critical in determining whether a formal framework agreement can be finalized or if the administration will shift back toward stronger military pressure. No further Situation Room meetings have been announced.