Iran Deal to be announced soon, says Trump—but experts say nuclear terms hinge on whether the war keeps going

World Report / Iran 

May 23, 2026

President Donald Trump said Saturday that a U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is “largely negotiated” and will be announced soon—an effort that could quickly reshape a conflict that has disrupted global energy markets and helped push U.S. inflation to its highest levels in years.

In his social media post, Trump said an agreement has been negotiated among “the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries,” describing it as “subject to finalization,” with details expected shortly. He said the negotiations involved calls from the Oval Office with leaders across the region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, all focused on the terms with Iran.

What the timeframe could look like

Iran’s foreign ministry said the arrangement would begin with a memorandum of understanding as a first phase, followed by broader talks in roughly 30 to 60 days.

That timeline suggests an immediate agreement may be possible on a limited objective—reopening shipping through the Strait—while the harder, more comprehensive bargaining would stretch out over the following month to two months.

Iran may refuse to tackle the nuclear issue while fighting continues

Even if Hormuz reopening moves first, the nuclear question remains the core obstacle.

Multiple reports point to a major sticking point: Trump has demanded that Iran give up enriched uranium and permanently relinquish any nuclear weapons capacity. The U.S. has also demanded dismantling key nuclear sites—Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan—areas the U.S. says were hit previously after it and Israel escalated operations against Iran last June.

Iran, for its part, has signaled skepticism about the U.S. and a willingness to frame the negotiation in terms of “legitimate rights,” according to reporting of talks with Pakistani counterparts. That posture becomes especially important given the broader context: negotiations are occurring amid an ongoing conflict that began in late February and has been marked by intermittent skirmishes around Hormuz.

If the war continues—especially with military leverage still being applied—Iran is unlikely to engage substantively on the nuclear demands. As long as fighting remains active, Tehran can treat nuclear concessions as strategically costly and politically untenable, using delay and ambiguity as bargaining tools while pressure on shipping and energy remains in play.

Why a Hormuz breakthrough still matters

A deal aimed first at reopening the Strait could reduce pressure on global oil routes and energy prices—areas Gulf states and regional partners have warned could worsen further if attacks continue. A fragile ceasefire has been in effect since April 8, punctuated by additional incidents as the U.S. and Iran jockey over Hormuz, feeding fears of renewed escalation.

Trump said Monday that the U.S. held off on renewing attacks while “serious negotiations” were underway. Gulf leaders—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE—have reportedly urged him to suspend the military assault over concerns about retaliation and additional damage to regional energy stability.

What happens next

While Trump says the agreement is close to finalization and will be announced soon, the nuclear timeline likely won’t be as clean. Based on Iran’s description of an initial memorandum followed by talks in 30 to 60 days, the most consequential questions—particularly those tied to enrichment and the dismantling of nuclear capability—may be deferred until a later stage, assuming the conflict cools enough for Iran to negotiate without betting on continued battlefield pressure.