A major deal between the United States and Iran remains close to completion despite fresh military action and new diplomatic demands, according to regional officials and social media updates from President Donald Trump. If finalized, the agreement would end the current war, reopen the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, and require Iran to surrender its entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The U.S. military announced Monday that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and boats that were placing mines. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, stated that the strikes were executed “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” adding that the military was “using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.” Further details regarding the specific threats or the immediate impact on negotiations were not released.
Just hours prior to the strikes, Trump stated on social media that negotiations were “proceeding nicely.”
A day earlier, he noted that the relationship between the U.S. and Iran was becoming “much more professional and productive,” though he cautioned representatives not to rush.
The emerging deal faces pushback from lawmakers who favor a harder line on Iran. In response to criticism, Trump introduced a new proposal on Monday, demanding that several regional nations join the Abraham Accords—the U.S.-brokered normalization agreements with Israel from his first term—as part of the final package.
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Trump specified that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan should “immediately” sign the accords. He wrote that “after all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords.” Trump also suggested that Iran itself could eventually join the accords if an agreement is reached.
This new condition adds fresh diplomatic complications. While Egypt and Jordan have long-standing peace treaties with Israel, and Turkey recognized Israel in 1949, nations like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan do not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia has consistently stated that normalization requires a clear path to Palestinian statehood, a position echoed by Pakistan. Syed Mohammad Ali, an Islamabad-based analyst, confirmed that Pakistan’s stance on Israel remains unchanged despite the new U.S. proposal.
Masood Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, noted that Trump’s new condition introduces a completely new variable to the talks. “The invocation of the Abraham Accords at this stage gives an altogether new dimension to the diplomatic and mediatory processes because this issue was not on the agenda,” Khan said, referencing the domestic political pressure Trump faces. However, Khan added that “the diplomatic track is still working, and I believe Pakistan is very much at the center of it, supported by regional countries.”
Trump indicated he raised the Abraham Accords plan with regional leaders during phone calls on Saturday. He stated he would accept “one or two” nations declining to sign, but expected most to comply.
The original Abraham Accords, signed in 2020 by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, later expanded to include Sudan, Morocco, and Kazakhstan. The agreements are designed to foster diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation across the Middle East and North Africa while paving a path toward full normalization with Israel.
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While Trump previously stated that a deal had been “largely negotiated” after consultations with Israel and other allies, Iran has still not publicly committed to surrendering its uranium stockpile. Diplomacy between the sides has appeared close to a breakthrough multiple times in recent weeks, only to stall.
Trump defended his approach on Truth Social, writing, “If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama, which gave Iran massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon. Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet. So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about.”
A primary objective of the pending agreement remains the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic shipping lane has been closed by Tehran since February 28, following a surprise bombardment of Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces. The closure caused a severe global energy crisis, which regional officials expect to ease once the waterway officially reopens.
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