Negotiators from America and Iran have struck a preliminary agreement to extend their current ceasefire by 60 days while launching fresh discussions about Iran’s nuclear program, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation reported Thursday.
Iran has not yet publicly confirmed any agreement. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged Thursday evening that negotiators had reached a preliminary deal, though he expressed uncertainty about whether President Donald Trump would give his approval.
“It’s hard to say exactly when or if the president’s going to sign,” Vance told reporters.
He added: “We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points.”
The developing memorandum of understanding emerged as the delicate ceasefire in the 3-month conflict between America and Iran showed signs of strain. Fighting escalated less than 24 hours earlier when Kuwait shot down missiles launched from Iran, U.S. Central Command reported.
The memorandum specifies that Iran cannot charge fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz and must clear all mines from the critical waterway within 30 days, the official said, speaking anonymously because they lacked authorization to discuss the matter publicly.
Throughout the conflict, Iran has effectively blocked the strait, which previously carried approximately one-fifth of global oil and natural gas trade. The blockade has caused oil prices to surge worldwide. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Thursday during a news briefing that oil costs could “come down very quickly” after a deal is completed.
Iran claims it has permitted some commercial ships to pass — roughly two dozen daily in recent days, compared to over 100 daily before the conflict — but the Islamic Republic has also imposed fees on at least some vessels. The country established a formal oversight agency earlier this month, prompting fresh U.S. sanctions this week.
According to the preliminary agreement, America would slowly remove its naval blockade of Iranian ports and ease sanctions, permitting Iran to increase oil sales.
Even as news of the potential agreement surfaced, the U.S. Treasury Department announced additional sanctions targeting the Iranian military’s oil sales division. The new restrictions, initially reported by The Associated Press, continue the Trump administration’s economic pressure strategy against the Islamic Republic.
The news outlet Axios first reported details of the preliminary agreement.
A primary topic for negotiation during the 60-day ceasefire will be the fate of Iran’s highly enriched uranium, the first official indicated. The Islamic Republic possesses 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just one technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%, the International Atomic Energy Agency reports.
Vance indicated Thursday evening that negotiators were working to establish broad terms regarding the highly enriched uranium in the preliminary agreement, with specific details to be resolved in subsequent talks.
Vance said the ongoing discussions involved “a couple of issues on the nuclear stuff, the highly enriched stockpile, and also the question of enrichment.”
Iran has not publicly agreed to surrender the stockpile. The material is reportedly stored beneath three nuclear facilities that sustained significant damage from U.S. airstrikes last year.
Nuclear experts suggest Iran might accept China or Russia, both maintaining close ties with Tehran, as potential third parties to secure the enriched uranium. However, Trump stated Wednesday that he “wouldn’t be comfortable” with such an arrangement.
While Trump and his administration declared from the conflict’s beginning that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons was a primary goal, Vance described the war’s achievements in more measured terms.
“We’re in a position where we could substantially set back their nuclear program, not just during the term of this president but over the long term,” Vance said. “That’s a very very good thing for the American people.”
Iran, which has consistently claimed its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, has demanded that any agreement must include ending Israel’s military operations in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. Tensions escalated Thursday in Lebanon as Israel launched an airstrike on a southern Beirut suburb and conducted additional strikes in the southern coastal city of Tyre. At least 14 people died across the country’s southern region.
Kuwait announced that its air-defense systems shot down incoming missiles and drones Thursday, without specifying targets. Iran claimed it had responded to earlier strikes during the week by attacking a U.S. base in an unnamed Gulf state.
The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry denounced Iran for what it termed “blatant aggression,” while U.S. Central Command labeled the attack on one of America’s key Persian Gulf allies an “egregious ceasefire violation.” Kuwait faced repeated attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq before the April ceasefire took effect.
This exchange occurred after U.S. officials reported late Wednesday that American forces conducted additional strikes against Iran, destroying four one-way attack drones that threatened the strait area and hitting an Iranian ground-control station in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard confirmed the attack near Bandar Abbas International Airport and announced through the state-run IRNA news agency that it launched a retaliatory strike on the air base responsible for the assaults. The Revolutionary Guard did not identify whether the response targeted Kuwait, which hosts U.S. Army Central’s forward headquarters, air bases and a naval facility.
On Monday, America conducted what the Pentagon described as “self-defense” strikes against missile launch sites and minelaying boats in southern Iran.
Despite exchanging strikes and accusations of ceasefire violations, Washington and Tehran have avoided returning to full-scale warfare and continue negotiations.
Vance noted that “Ceasefires are always a little messy” but it’s “very much holding.”
Later Thursday, Iranian defenses destroyed “a hostile aircraft” near the southern city of Jam, the area’s governor, Masood Tangestani, told state broadcaster IRIB. Additional details were not immediately available.
