By Ginika Igboke
President Donald Trump announced on May 23 that the United States and Iran are close to reaching a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to peace,” signaling possible progress toward ending the current standoff between the two countries.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had concluded discussions with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey, and Pakistan regarding efforts to resolve tensions involving Iran.
“An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other countries, as listed,” Trump wrote.
The president noted that some details remain under discussion before a final agreement can be reached.
Trump also said he held a separate phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, adding that the conversation “went very well.”
During a visit to India earlier that day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that negotiations had made progress.
“There’s been some progress done, some progress made,” Rubio said.
“Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple of days, we may have something to say,” he added.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei also indicated that Washington and Tehran were moving closer to a mutual understanding to end the conflict.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, who has played a significant mediating role in the discussions, wrapped up a visit to Tehran on Saturday. Pakistan’s military public relations office described the trip as “short but highly productive,” saying it produced “encouraging progress towards a final understanding.”
Despite optimism from both sides, public statements suggest unresolved issues remain.
Rubio reiterated the administration’s position that Iran must never obtain nuclear weapons and stressed that Tehran would need to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
“We need to address that issue; we need to address the issue of enrichment,” Rubio said.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes and has repeatedly described uranium enrichment as a sovereign right.
Rubio also called for unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, saying commercial vessels should not be required to pay tolls.
Following military strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran, Tehran began targeting commercial shipping through the waterway as part of its response. More recently, Iran moved to formalize control measures by introducing transit fees for safe passage. In response, Trump imposed a U.S. blockade targeting Iranian ports and maritime trade.
Baqaei said current talks are focused on a 14-point memorandum designed to end hostilities, lift the U.S. blockade, and ease sanctions to enable the release of frozen Iranian assets.
He added that the initial agreement could pave the way for additional negotiations within 30 to 60 days on Iran’s nuclear program and other longstanding disputes.
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