Trump hints at progress on Iran talks, but peace deal remains unclear

Donald Trump struck an upbeat note on Iran, saying there had been "some pretty good news" as talks pushed toward a possible peace deal, but the gap between momentum and an actual agreement remained wide. He warned that the ceasefire in the wider Middle East conflict might not be extended without a deal by Wednesday, underscoring how little was settled even as the diplomacy accelerated.

The most visible change came at sea. Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz after a separate U.S.-brokered ceasefire involving Israel and Lebanon, a move that eased pressure on one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints after weeks of disruption. The conflict had already killed thousands and rattled global markets, making any sign of de-escalation immediately significant far beyond the region.

Still, the talks were far from finished. Trump said more direct U.S.-Iran negotiations would probably happen that weekend, though diplomats said the logistics of gathering in Islamabad made that uncertain. Pakistan has been the mediator and host, trying to keep both sides engaged while helping facilitate multiple rounds of negotiations. Trump has also said he may visit Islamabad if a peace deal is signed, a sign that the diplomacy has taken on political weight well beyond the immediate fighting.

Earlier discussions in Islamabad had brought the sides close, with sources saying they were "very close" and about "80% there" before the talks stalled. The unresolved issues were not minor details. They included the fate of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and the duration of nuclear restrictions, two questions that go to the core of how much nuclear capacity Tehran would retain and for how long it would be constrained.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Iranian parliament speaker, said Tehran would approach the truce "with caution," reflecting the skepticism that still hangs over the talks despite the White House’s optimism. That caution matters because the latest signals suggest progress is possible, but not yet durable. For now, the diplomacy has reopened a path to negotiation and briefly steadied a major shipping lane, but the central bargain needed to turn a truce into a peace deal remains unresolved.