Iran deadline for peace deal lapses as talks stall over Hormuz and nuclear program
The 60-day clock on a U.S.-Iran peace deal ran out on Monday with no breakthrough, leaving the two sides farther apart than when the deal
The 60-day clock on a U.S.-Iran peace deal ran out on Monday with no breakthrough, leaving the two sides farther apart than when the deal was signed in June. Talks have stalled on two of the hardest issues: who controls the Strait of Hormuz and what happens to Iran’s nuclear program.
The expired window was part of a memorandum of understanding President Donald Trump signed at Versailles, setting an ambitious timetable to end the war and strike a broader agreement. Instead, Washington and Tehran are still trading hard lines. No detailed nuclear negotiations have started, and there is no sign of compromise on the waterway that carries a huge share of global oil and gas shipments.
Pressure builds around Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz sits at the center of the dispute. Before the war, it carried about a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas. Any move to hand Iran greater say over the passage would amount to a major concession for Washington — and a political admission of defeat.
Iran says it is working with Oman on a joint statement for a plan to allow shipping through the strait. But a senior Iranian official said there were no talks about extending the 60-day period, pushing back against reports that the deadline might be prolonged. The official said the United States had violated the interim arrangement just 48 hours after it was signed.
Simple answer: no deal.
Trump signals no rush
Trump struck a defiant tone after the deadline passed, saying on Truth Social that his top goal was to stop Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon. He has also said he is not in a hurry and that the approaching U.S. midterm elections do not shape his thinking.
His comments have come as backchannel contacts continue, including talk of a broader understanding involving officials linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Trump also told Fox News that Iran should “put up the white flag” and surrender. He warned Oman that the U.S. would bomb the country if it got in the way, according to a report cited by The National News Desk.
For Trump, the choices look grim. Accepting Tehran’s demands would mean yielding on one of the world’s most strategic shipping lanes. Escalating the war would risk deeper strain on U.S. missile interceptors, unsettle the global economy and push gasoline prices higher ahead of congressional elections.
For now, both sides are dug in. And the deadline has passed.
