'We've Made A Lot Of Progress': JD Vance Shares Update On US-Iran Negotiations
'We've Made A Lot Of Progress': JD Vance Shares Update On US-Iran Negotiations Published By, Last Updated: May 29, 2026, 05:14 IST US Vice President
'We've Made A Lot Of Progress': JD Vance Shares Update On US-Iran Negotiations Published By, Last Updated: May 29, 2026, 05:14 IST US Vice President JD Vance says the US and Iran have made progress toward an MOU to end the conflict, but Trump has not signed, with disputes over enriched uranium remaining U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said Washington has made “a lot of progress" in negotiations with Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. However, he said that President Donald Trump has not yet approved the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) being discussed between the two sides. “It’s hard to say exactly when or if the President is going to sign the MOU," Vance, who has played a central role in the backchannel negotiations, told reporters. “We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points. We’ve made a lot of progress here." Vance said the Iranian side had been negotiating “at least so far in good faith" and noted that both Washington and Tehran shared an interest in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring normal maritime traffic in the region.
However, he acknowledged that significant disagreements remain over Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. “Hopefully, we’ll continue to make progress and the president will be in a position where he can endorse the agreement, but obviously that’s still TBD," he said. The remarks come amid growing reports suggesting that the United States and Iran have reached a tentative understanding to extend the fragile ceasefire currently in place following months of military escalation in West Asia. Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also struck a cautiously optimistic tone, saying Washington “perhaps" has the framework of a deal emerging, though key issues remain unresolved. “He’s not going to take a bad deal. He’s going to make a great deal for the American people," Bessent said during a White House briefing, referring to President Trump. The ongoing negotiations remain focused on several contentious issues, including the future of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, sanctions relief, frozen Iranian assets and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors. Also Read | Why US, Iran Keep Attacking Each Other Despite Ceasefire?
Timeline Of Strikes In 96 Hours 60-day US-Iran Deal US sources had earlier confirmed a report by the Axios news outlet that the MOU would open the Strait of Hormuz but leave Iran’s nuclear program unresolved, with further talks to follow on the issue. Axios reported that the 60-day deal will say that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be unrestricted, with no tolls or harassment and with Iran having to remove all mines within 30 days. Also Read | Uranium Disposal To Hormuz Access: Key Terms In Draft US-Iran Deal Awaiting Trump, Khamenei’s Nod The US will in return lift its naval blockade on Iran’s ports, but only in proportion to how much commercial shipping is restored, it said. The memorandum will also contain an Iranian commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon, Axios said. Among the first issues to be addressed is how to dispose of Iran’s stocks of enriched uranium. Trump said during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he was “not satisfied" yet with Iran’s offers and warned that he could “finish the job" militarily.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon under any deal to end the war that the US and Israel launched on February 28. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 7. Washington and Tehran both accused each other of violating the truce earlier on Thursday following an exchange of fire. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: May 29, 2026, 05:05 IST News world 'We've Made A Lot Of Progress': JD Vance Shares Update On US-Iran Negotiations Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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