Trump sends back revised Iran deal text; seeks 'tougher language' on nuclear terms, Strait of Hormuz reopening

Just a week after declaring a proposed agreement with Iran "largely finalised", US President Donald Trump has reportedly sent the Iran deal back for revisions, prolonging negotiations and casting fresh uncertainty over efforts to end the conflict.

According to CNN, Trump requested tougher provisions on Iran's nuclear commitments and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during a meeting with advisers. He has also expressed concern over the extent of financial relief that could be offered to Tehran under any agreement, wary of comparisons with the Obama-era nuclear deal that he has repeatedly criticised as too lenient.

The latest round of changes comes a week after Trump said the deal was “largely finalized” and indicated that an end to hostilities was imminent. Since then, US officials have signalled progress toward an agreement that would halt fighting, reopen the strait and allow for further detailed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.

However, despite Trump stating he would make a “final determination” during Friday’s meeting and outlining some conditions on social media, the two-hour session concluded without a decision. In his message, Trump said the US would seize Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and destroy it, though Iran has consistently said it is not discussing details of its nuclear programme under the current talks.

Trump also said there had been no discussion of exchanging money as part of the deal, while Iran has said financial provisions must be included in any agreement. How these differences will be resolved remains unclear as negotiations continue over the wording of the deal.

Earlier, Axios also reported that Trump had sought revisions to the proposed agreement, including tougher language on Hormuz reopening in the deal with Iran.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no agreement with the US would be approved until Tehran’s “rights” are secured, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. “The soldiers of the diplomatic battlefield have no trust in the words and promises of the enemy. What matters to us is tangible achievements that we must obtain, in exchange for which we will fulfil our commitments,” Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who sits on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said the terms outlined by Trump appear acceptable on paper but may be difficult to implement, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
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