WILL IRAN'S HARDLINERS BACK TRUMP DEAL?

Questions remain over Hormuz, nuclear issue and whether IRGC will accept plan

- BY STEPHEN N.R.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian greets Pakistan's Defence Forces Chief Gen Syed Asim Munir in Tehran on Saturday. Pakistan is playing a key mediation role in efforts to end the war.

A draft agreement that US President Donald Trump says is “largely negotiated” could pave the way for the biggest de-escalation in the Iran war since fighting erupted in February — reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing pressure on global oil markets, and launching a fresh round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

But while both sides appear closer than at any point in recent weeks, major disagreements remain over Iran’s nuclear programme, the future of the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, and the sequencing of concessions, according to Axios, CNN and multiple media reports.

The proposed framework — described by US officials and sources familiar with the talks — centres on a temporary memorandum of understanding (MoU) lasting 60 days, during which both sides would suspend some wartime measures while negotiating a broader agreement.