WASHINGTON — The Trump administration says the US and Iran are closer to a nuclear agreement than at any point in recent years, even as senior officials insist a final deal is still days away and key details remain unresolved.
Speaking on a background call with reporters, senior administration officials described negotiations with Tehran as roughly “90-95 percent” complete, framing the emerging arrangement as fundamentally different from the Obama-era nuclear accord that President Donald Trump abandoned during his first term.
“It isn’t even fully negotiated yet. So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals.”
Administration officials repeatedly emphasized that no agreement would be signed immediately, despite significant movement in talks over the weekend.
“We are not there yet,” one senior official said on May 24. “We are not going to sign a deal today or tomorrow.”
Iran Appears To Bend On Uranium Stockpile
The biggest breakthrough appears to center on Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium — long considered the central obstacle in negotiations.
According to one senior Trump administration official, Tehran has now agreed “in principle” to dispose of its near weapons-grade uranium reserves, though negotiators are still haggling over implementation and verification mechanisms.
“It’s a question about how,” the official said, pushing back on claims that Iran had refused to surrender the material.
Iran currently possesses more than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency — a level far beyond civilian energy requirements and only a short technical step away from weapons-grade enrichment.
Iranian sources suggested possible solutions could include diluting the uranium under international supervision by the UN nuclear watchdog.
A second senior administration official said negotiators are discussing a framework that would provide a 60-day window to finalize a comprehensive agreement.
‘No Dust, No Dollars’
Trump officials argued the emerging framework is designed around strict conditionality and enforcement — a direct contrast, they say, to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Officials repeatedly used the phrase “No Dust, No Dollars” to describe the structure of the proposed deal.
Under the framework, Iran would receive phased sanctions relief only after meeting specific obligations, including eliminating enriched uranium stockpiles and halting interference with maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
“There will be no relief without Iranians making good on their end of the bargain first,” one official said.
Officials also stressed that no direct US cash payments would be sent to Iran, an apparent reference to long-running Republican criticism of the Obama administration.
“If they don’t deliver on their commitments, then they don’t get anything,” the official added. “We’ve set up enforcement mechanisms.”
The administration says Iran has also agreed “in principle” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open without harassment or tolls on commercial shipping, while Washington would in return ease its naval blockade measures.
Still, officials underscored that military options remain available if diplomacy collapses.
“We have optionality,” one official said. “We can resume military strikes if a deal is not reached.”
Regional Calculations, Internal Iranian Politics
Administration officials portrayed the negotiations not only as a nuclear agreement, but as part of a broader strategy aimed at reshaping Iran’s internal balance of power.
“The broader overarching goal is to empower the moderate elements of Iran to overpower the influence of the hard-liners,” one official said, adding that US intelligence believes moderates are becoming “ascendant,” even if hard-liners still retain substantial control.
Officials declined to say definitively whether military pressure or economic sanctions were more responsible for shifting Tehran’s negotiating position. But they acknowledged Iranian negotiators are discussing concessions — particularly on uranium enrichment — that they previously refused to entertain.
Meanwhile, officials also disclosed that Trump recently pressed regional leaders, including those from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan, to support a broader regional normalization process involving Israel — a request that reportedly caught some participants off guard.
“There was silence on the line and Trump joked and asked if they are still there,” one US official recounted.
For now, the White House is trying to project cautious optimism while managing expectations. Officials insist substantial work remains before any signing ceremony can take place.
“We don’t have a deal until there is a deal,” one official said.
