WASHINGTON, May 28 - U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Thursday that negotiations with Iran were close to producing an agreement but had not yet reached completion. He said Washington was “not there yet” while stressing that the United States stood in a position to substantially set back Tehran’s nuclear program.
In a separate development described by sources, the United States and Iran reached an understanding to extend their ceasefire and to lift restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, subject to the approval of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Vance identified two areas that remained unresolved in discussions with Tehran. He said negotiators were working through a couple of sticking points related to Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the broader question of enrichment.
“It’s hard to say exactly when or if the president is going to sign the MOU. We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points,” Vance said. “I can’t guarantee that we’re going to get there, but right now I feel pretty good about it.”
The vice president’s remarks framed the progress as significant but fragile. He did not offer a timeline for when a memorandum of understanding might be finalized or signed, underscoring ongoing negotiation over specific language.
The reported deal to extend the ceasefire and to lift shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz remains conditional on presidential approval. That procedural requirement means the arrangement is not yet in force, pending the decision of the president.
Vance’s comments focused attention on the two nuclear-related issues he said are unresolved: the size or handling of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the technical and policy question of enrichment itself. He did not provide additional detail about how those issues would be addressed or what specific language remained in dispute.
As described by officials, the current state of talks is one of cautious optimism - progress has been made, but key elements remain unsettled and a formal signature has not been assured.