Vice President Trump: We are "very" close to an agreement with Iran. Tehran denies
US Vice President J.D. Vance said that the ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran on the nuclear file are witnessing "remarkable" progress, claiming that the two sides are "very close" to reaching an agreement, despite the continuation of major differences related to Iran's nuclear program.
Vance explained in press statements on Friday (May 29) that the latest rounds of dialogue have witnessed a direct exchange of views on Iran's nuclear capabilities, including stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and the issue of enrichment itself.
Trump's deputy added that he sees "goodwill" from the Iranian side, noting that further progress could be made in the coming period, at a time when there is still uncertainty about President Donald Trump's position on the final approval of any possible deal.
Vance declined to answer directly a question about the removal of Iran's uranium stockpiles, saying only that "important details are still being worked out, and it may take some time to get them done."
Moscow: Iran is the only one who decides on the uranium file
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that Iran is "the only one" authorized to decide the fate of enriched uranium on its territory, commenting on Trump's recent statements in which he called for the delivery of the material to the United States or its destruction under international supervision.
"Enriched uranium belongs purely to Iran, and no other party has the right to decide what to do," Zakharova said at a news conference on Thursday, stressing that the decision on this matter is "completely sovereign" and belongs to Tehran alone.
Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that Iran should "immediately hand over uranium to the United States for destruction, or allow it to be destroyed inside Iran in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency."
Iranian source: No nuclear commitments
In Tehran, Tasnim news agency quoted a source close to the Iranian negotiating team as denying what some Western sources are promoting about the completion of the text of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.
The source confirmed that "the text has not been finalized" and that Iran "has not informed the Pakistani mediator of any confirmation regarding the completion of its drafting."
Saeed Ajorloo, a member of the media team close to the Iranian negotiating delegation, stressed that Tehran "has not yet agreed" to the memorandum of understanding and is waiting for "concrete assurances", especially with regard to the return of $12 billion of frozen Iranian funds.
He pointed out that the agreement includes a clause that allows Iran to withdraw from it if the Americans do not abide by their commitments, adding that "any breach by Washington means that Iran will return to its actions in the Strait of Hormuz."
Iran has "not made any nuclear commitment" at this stage of the negotiations, Ajerloo said, explaining that the core outstanding issues include the cessation of the war on Lebanon and the mechanisms for releasing frozen funds, with the nuclear file to be discussed later.
Continuous Endeavor and Multi-Track Communications
On Wednesday (May 27th), Iranian television showed an unofficial preliminary version of the framework of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, noting that the agreement, if completed within 60 days, would be adopted within the framework of a binding resolution issued by the UN Security Council.
The report said the framework of the understanding in Islamabad was "not yet decided" and that Tehran "will not take any step without concrete realization."
These developments come in light of escalating diplomatic activity, as Pakistan continues its efforts as a main mediator, while Qatar has recently joined the mediation track, and despite growing assessments that a tentative agreement can be reached, key files, including the war on Lebanon and frozen funds, remain unresolved.