Waiting Game: World Awaits Trump Decision On Negotiated Framework
The world continues to await US President Donald Trump’s reaction to a proposed framework to extend the current cease-fire with Iran, even as threats to resume US air strikes and American naval forces’ interdiction actions in the Persian Gulf region persist.
As of late May 30, there was no word out of the White House a day after Trump concluded a Situation Room meeting on a possible agreement with Tehran aimed at extending the shaky truce by 60 days, opening the Strait of Hormuz, and ending the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Under the framework, other difficult issues — such as Iran’s right to enrich uranium and its overall nuclear program, along with potential easing of sanctions against Tehran — would be negotiated during the 60-day period.
AFP quoted an unnamed White House official on May 29 as saying Trump will only make a peace deal with Iran if it meets all his conditions.
“President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines,” the White House official said following the two-hour meeting in the Situation Room.
“Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official added
Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington is prepared to resume military action against Iran if the ongoing negotiations fail to produce an agreement, stressing that US forces remain ready despite efforts to reach a diplomatic solution.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense and security forum in Singapore on May 30, Hegseth said the US was “more than capable” of renewing attacks if necessary and that its stockpiles were “more than suited” for such operations.
The Pentagon chief said Trump was showing “patience” and was “only going to get a great deal” to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Trump’s only Iran-related comment was a Truth Social post saying, “Someone should explain to the Pope that…Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon!” It came after Leo XIV issued a call for an end to violence in the world’s war-torn regions during a prayer at the Vatican, although he did not mention specific conflicts.
Trump was also spotted traveling from the White House to his golf club in Virginia.
‘Excessive Demands’
From the Iranian side, an adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei accused Trump of “betraying diplomacy for the third time” by continuing the naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports and making what he called “excessive demands” in negotiations.
In an X post on May 30, Mohsen Rezaei said Trump’s stance at the negotiating table showed “that he is not inclined toward negotiation and is pursuing other objectives.”
Iranian state media, citing an “unofficial draft,” reported that the proposed memorandum of understanding included an agreement to release $12 billion in frozen assets.
“The United States has pledged to provide Iran with full access to $12 billion of its assets within 60 days, so that these resources can be transferred and spent in banks of Iran’s desired destination without restrictions,” state TV stated.
The White House earlier called a similar report by Iranian TV as a “fabrication.”
Fate Of The Uranium
A key issue is the fate of Iran’s supply of highly enriched uranium, which can be used to build a nuclear weapon.
Kazakhstan has indicated it is open to hosting Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent if a future agreement is reached between Tehran and Washington, according to a report by the Financial Times citing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi.
The proposal is being discussed as a potential confidence-building measure to support efforts to revive nuclear diplomacy between Iran and the United States.
Elsewhere, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on May 29 that its forces operating in the Gulf of Oman had enforced blockade measures by disabling a Gambia-flagged ship that was attempting to sail to an Iranian port.
“A US aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room,” a CENTCOM statement said, adding that US forces had issued more than 20 warnings before taking military action.