US-Iran framework agreement 95% complete, but US negotiators press Iran on wording and keep military option
US-Iran framework agreement 95% complete, but US officials say wording on Iran’s nuclear stockpile and Strait of Hormuz is unresolved; military option kept.
The United States has told Fox News that a proposed US-Iran framework agreement is about 95% complete, but senior officials cautioned that critical language remains unresolved and no signature is imminent.
According to a high-level U.S. Administration official, negotiators are still haggling over wording related to Tehran’s nuclear stockpile and measures concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump has ordered his team not to rush the process and signaled a willingness to allow several days for completion, while insisting the U.S. will not accept a weak deal.
Agreement 95% Complete, Officials Say
A senior U.S. official speaking to Fox News described the framework as largely agreed in principle, estimating negotiations at roughly 95 percent completion.
The same source emphasized that while the broad contours of the framework have been accepted, key formulatory disputes persist and no final agreement has been reached.
Officials stressed they will not conclude a deal “today or tomorrow,” underlining the administration’s insistence on precise language before any commitment is made.
Negotiators Dispute Language on Nuclear Stockpile and Strait of Hormuz
Sources say the sticking points center on how to define and verify Iran’s nuclear stockpile and the operational safeguards for the Strait of Hormuz.
Diplomats and negotiators remain focused on technical phrasing that would determine inspection protocols, limits on fissile material and the triggers for enforcement measures.
Those textual details will shape whether the framework satisfies U.S. demands for verifiable restrictions and whether it can prevent Tehran from progressing toward a nuclear weapon.
‘No Dust, No Dollars’ Frames U.S. Approach
The administration has described its negotiating posture with the shorthand “No Dust, No Dollars,” signaling a refusal to ease economic pressure without concrete verification.
Officials said this policy has steered the talks and informed the insistence on exact wording before sanctions relief or financial incentives could be considered.
Tehran has reportedly accepted the general framework “in principle,” but Washington is demanding language that translates political agreements into enforceable steps.
Military Option Remains in Play as Leverage
While pursuing diplomacy, U.S. officials emphasized that military options remain available should negotiations collapse or produce an unacceptable result.
A senior official warned that the United States would not sign a poor agreement and said alternative measures, including the resumption of strikes, are part of the strategic calculus.
Officials framed the insistence on strong terms as a way to secure strategic benefits while limiting costs borne by American taxpayers.
Trump Signals Patience but Sets Short Window
President Trump, according to the same officials, instructed negotiators to avoid hasty decisions and reiterated his view that “time is on our side.”
The president’s instincts were described as leaning toward giving Iran a limited window — roughly five to seven days — to finalize the outstanding language in the framework.
Those remarks followed comments made by the president a day earlier, in which he referred to the emerging text as a “memorandum of understanding” and said much of the deal had already been negotiated.
Developments in the coming days will test whether negotiators can translate a broadly agreed framework into precise, enforceable terms acceptable to both Washington and Tehran.
For regional observers, the outcome could have immediate implications for security in the Gulf and for commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. officials say they prefer a durable diplomatic solution but are prepared to revert to other measures if the final language fails to secure the intended limits on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.