US President Donald Trump has introduced amendments tightening the terms of a proposed draft agreement with Tehran to end the war that broke out in late February. According to the New York Times and Axios, the changes modify conditions previously reached by US envoys through regional mediators.
The unexpected diplomatic friction extends a high-stakes maritime blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, compounding global energy market disruptions and domestic political pressure on Washington. The newly hardened US demands challenge a tentative 60-day ceasefire framework arbitrated by regional intermediaries.
The New York Times reported that Trump sent the revised terms back to Tehran following a two-hour White House Situation Room session on Friday. Disputes center on the timeline for disposing of Iran’s highly enriched uranium, international transit access through the waterway, and the release of frozen Iranian funds.
Axios reported that the original memorandum of understanding required an Iranian pledge against nuclear weapons acquisition in exchange for sanctions relief. However, Trump publicly declared Friday that Iran must capitulate on nuclear material management and immediately grant unrestricted, fee-free maritime navigation.
The strait represents one of the most sensitive points of dispute between the two sides. While Washington stipulates its reopening to international maritime traffic without restrictions or fees, Tehran insists on a major role in managing traffic in the vital waterway in coordination with the Sultanate of Oman.
Trump reiterated on Friday that Iran must accept not developing nuclear weapons and immediately open the Strait of Hormuz to maritime navigation “without transit fees,” adding that the United States will handle the Iranian nuclear materials under any final agreement.
Tehran maintains that any maritime traffic framework requires bilateral coordination with the Sultanate of Oman. Meanwhile, Iranian state media indicated that a final settlement remains close but incomplete, noting that nuclear arrangements are unresolved.
The White House rejected Iranian claims, reported by Reuters, that the deal would unlock up to $12 billion in frozen foreign assets. Trump emphasized that the release of Iranian capital is completely off the table.
US officials estimated that an Iranian response will require several days, a delay that pushes the high-stakes diplomatic consultations into late this week.
These developments come at a time when the Trump administration is facing increasing economic and political pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The shipping route, through which a significant portion of global oil exports pass, has been closed for months, disrupting energy markets and driving up global fuel prices.
Despite growing optimism surrounding an agreement, the amendments requested by Trump reveal that Washington and Tehran are still far from a final settlement. Current negotiations focus primarily on stabilizing the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the most contentious files for subsequent rounds of talks.
