An agreement between the United States and Iran may be close, according to a Pakistani security source cited on Friday by Reuters. According to this source, discussions are said to be in their final phase and diplomatic contacts continue both through indirect channels, under Pakistani mediation, and through direct exchanges between technical teams.
According to the same source, the next round of negotiations could take the form of a signing ceremony. Islamabad appears to be the preferred location for a potential agreement, as Pakistan has been actively playing the role of intermediary between Washington and Tehran for several weeks.
President Donald Trump himself has expressed optimism about a quick resolution. Speaking to the press, he stated that a new meeting between the two parties could take place as early as this weekend and suggested that an agreement was “very close.” He added that the current ceasefire could be extended, although it may not be necessary if Tehran truly wanted to reach a compromise. Later, during a visit to Las Vegas, Donald Trump also stated that “the war should end very soon.”
According to Politico, faced with rising prices and a decline in the polls, Donald Trump may be more flexible on some Iranian demands than his public position suggests. A Gulf official close to the discussions suggested that the American president would be open to more concessions in order to achieve diplomatic success quickly.
The negotiations would focus primarily on the Iranian nuclear program. According to several sources cited in the article, Washington would propose a 20-year freeze on Iran’s uranium enrichment capacity, while Tehran has only offered a five-year suspension. The United States would also demand that Iranian stocks of partially enriched uranium be transferred to a third country acceptable to both parties.
Additionally, CNN reports that Donald Trump is closely monitoring the role played by his Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation during the first round of talks in Islamabad. The American president has reportedly consulted advisors and associates regarding the performance of his vice president, even comparing his stature to that of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is seen as a potential rival in the 2028 presidential election.
In a formula relayed by several participants, Donald Trump reportedly joked about the outcome of the discussions: in case of failure, he would blame JD Vance; in case of success, he would take “all the credit.”
