Key development: Trump says the US is not rushing to sign an Iran deal, reversing yesterday’s optimism, while linking any agreement to expanding the Abraham Accords—a new condition that complicates negotiations.
Diplomacy
(Update) Trump says the US isn’t rushing to sign the Iran deal, while Iranian officials report progress on many issues but say a final agreement is not imminent. This reverses yesterday’s optimism when both sides suggested a deal was largely negotiated. (Al Jazeera, Euronews)
Context: Yesterday both sides suggested they were close to finalizing terms. Trump now says negotiators should “take their time and get it right,” while Iran’s FM spokesman Baghaei says a “large portion” of issues have been resolved but a deal is not imminent. Iranian media are reporting disagreements on some key issues remain.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Euronews
US Policy
(Update) Trump is now linking Iran negotiations to getting more countries to join the Abraham Accords. This adds a new condition to the deal framework. (Al Jazeera)
Context: The Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states. Trump is now using the Iran deal as leverage to expand that normalization process, introducing a conditional element that was not part of the original negotiation framework.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Economy
(Update) Iran is now charging fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran calls it payment for “navigational services” through the waterway. (Euronews)
Context: Iran effectively closed the Strait in the early days of the war. The US responded in mid-April by blockading Iranian ports. Iran has now moved from discussing tariffs to actively charging fees for passage through one of the world’s most crucial oil shipping routes.
Sources: Euronews
Inside Iran
Iran executed two men over the January protests and alleged espionage. A Tehran court also sentenced four more people to death in a 2022 protest case, drawing UN condemnation. (Euronews)
Context: Iran has been cracking down on dissent since the war began, using both current protests and older cases from 2022 to justify executions. The executions are tied to the January protests and war-related charges.
Sources: Euronews
What to watch: Whether Iran walks away from talks entirely now that Trump has added the Abraham Accords condition and backed off the urgency to conclude a deal.