Iran Says Deal with U.S. Is Not Imminent

U.S.-Iran negotiations appeared to be nearing an agreement over the weekend, with President Donald Trump suggesting the sides were close to a deal. However, Trump later said he had instructed negotiators not to “rush into” any settlement, signaling that talks remained unresolved and subject to further review.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on Monday in New Delhi, said the administration had expected possible progress by Sunday night and may have news “last night” or “today,” but urged caution about reading too much into the timing. He said the process was still dependent on responses from Iran and noted that it can take time to hear back from Tehran, indicating that negotiations were still moving but not finalized.

According to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner, U.S. intelligence believes Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in an undisclosed location after being injured in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war that killed his father and predecessor. The report said his limited ability to communicate with envoys has made it harder for Iran to respond quickly, contributing to delays in talks with Washington.

Media reports in the United States have described the potential deal as an interim understanding rather than a full final agreement. Key issues reportedly still to be decided include the scope and timing of sanctions relief for Iran, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and U.S. demands that Iran curb its nuclear program. These unresolved points suggest that any framework currently under discussion would leave major questions for future negotiations.

Rubio said the United States had a “pretty solid thing on the table” regarding Iran’s ability to open up the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically vital shipping lane through which about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. His remarks underscored the importance of the waterway in the talks, especially amid concerns that Iran could use the strait as leverage in broader regional tensions.

Financial markets reacted positively to the prospect of a breakthrough. Oil prices fell sharply on Monday as traders responded to hopes that an agreement could reduce disruption risks in the Middle East. At the same time, Asian stock markets rose, reflecting investor optimism that a deal could ease geopolitical uncertainty and stabilize energy flows.

Despite the market reaction, the comments from U.S. officials suggested that the outcome remained uncertain. Trump’s mixed signals, Rubio’s caution, and the reported difficulty reaching Iranian decision-makers all pointed to a negotiation process that was still active and potentially fragile. Any agreement, if reached, would likely be limited in scope at first and leave substantial diplomatic and technical issues for later talks.