Shafaq News- Washington

The United States and Iran are nearing a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the war and opening broader nuclear negotiations, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing two US officials and two additional sources familiar with the talks.

The proposed one-page memorandum of understanding would establish a 30-day negotiation framework covering Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington is expecting Tehran’s response on several unresolved issues within the next 48 hours, with sources describing the discussions as the closest the two sides have come to a deal since the conflict began.

Under the draft proposal, Iran would temporarily suspend uranium enrichment, allow enhanced international inspections, and provide guarantees that it will not pursue nuclear weapons or related activities. In exchange, the United States would gradually ease sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets.

The framework also includes phased steps to reopen shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions have disrupted global energy transit in recent weeks.

Axios identified the duration of the enrichment freeze as one of the main unresolved issues. Tehran has reportedly proposed a five-year suspension, while Washington initially pushed for 20 years, with current discussions focusing on a compromise ranging between 12 and 15 years.

Two sources also indicated that Iran may agree to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium abroad, a demand Tehran had previously rejected.

Negotiations are being led by US Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, alongside Iranian officials through direct and indirect channels, with Islamabad and Geneva under consideration for the next round of talks.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the developments on X, expressing hope that ongoing efforts would lead to a lasting agreement supporting regional peace and stability. He also praised Trump for responding to appeals from Pakistan and other countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, by suspending the “Project Freedom” operation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Senior Israeli military officials, meanwhile, told Channel 12 that the United States lacks the capability to fully secure shipping through the strait. The officials described Trump’s decision to suspend the operation as significant, given the deteriorating regional security environment, and argued that US Central Command cannot guarantee the safety of oil tankers in the waterway. They also characterized an alternative maritime route proposed by Washington along Oman’s coast as narrow and highly vulnerable.

Read more: Washington pursues regional de-escalation through fragile frameworks