An Iranian state-affiliated outlet, Nournews, reports that Iran and the United States are edging closer to a 60‑day preliminary understanding that would link an end to ongoing regional hostilities with the partial unfreezing of Iran’s blocked assets and changes to the security regime in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Nournews, Iranian officials have conditioned any initial memorandum of understanding on the immediate release of at least part of Tehran’s frozen funds in a way that allows Iran practical access to those resources, citing past instances where Western parties failed to honor similar commitments. The reported framework would also seek a full lifting of the maritime blockade on Iran within 30 days, with Iranian authorities insisting that any changes to shipping conditions in the Strait of Hormuz remain tied to Washington’s implementation of its obligations. While some Western media have suggested a rapid return of the strait to pre‑war conditions, the article says the text under discussion focuses instead on restoring the volume of vessel traffic to pre‑war levels over a 30‑day period, while preserving Iran’s asserted sovereignty rights over the waterway.
The Nournews report highlights the intensive regional diplomacy led by Pakistan and Qatar, describing Islamabad as the main mediator channel between Tehran and Washington and noting multiple visits to Tehran by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and senior civilian officials. Pakistani leaders have publicly expressed cautious optimism, with the country’s defense minister saying mediation efforts are moving toward a “positive result” and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praising both Donald Trump’s outreach to regional leaders and Pakistan’s own role in facilitating talks. The article adds that Qatar has also deployed a diplomatic team to Tehran, framed as complementing Pakistan’s mediation, while China and the United Nations are depicted as supportive of a negotiated end to the crisis.
From the Iranian side, the piece underscores comments by Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, who says the two sides are “very far and very close” to a deal, reflecting both lingering mistrust of U.S. intentions and what he describes as incremental convergence on some parameters. Baqaei is quoted as saying that Iran and Pakistan are working to finalize a 14‑point memorandum of understanding focused first on ending the war, halting U.S. maritime actions against Iranian shipping, and unfreezing Iranian assets, with nuclear issues explicitly deferred to a later stage. He also reiterates Tehran’s position that the status of the Strait of Hormuz is a matter for Iran and Oman as coastal states, accusing the United States and Israel of creating the current insecurity and describing Iran–Oman coordination on safe passage as serving both national interests and global trade.
Nournews presents the emerging talks as going well beyond the nuclear dossier, framing Iran’s main priorities as ending the war across all “fronts,” including Lebanon, and removing what Tehran calls the U.S. “shadow of war” from the region. The article, drawing on reporting by Tasnim News Agency, stresses that Iran rejects any early commitments on core nuclear issues such as shutting facilities or surrendering enriched uranium, arguing that previous experiences of U.S. “overreach” and non‑compliance justify a more cautious, phased approach. It also notes that Iran is pressing for U.S. combat forces to leave its immediate neighborhood, in line with a ten‑point framework previously endorsed by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and is seeking compensation for damages it says were caused by American actions.
The piece devotes considerable attention to the domestic and regional political backdrop, including comments by President Masoud Pezeshkian, who tells visiting Pakistani officials that Iran will not initiate war, insists the United States will not emerge victorious from the current confrontation, and describes Israel as the only beneficiary of continued regional conflict. Nournews reports that Pezeshkian has instructed negotiators to pursue diplomacy from a position of “dignity” and “field strength,” warning that repeated U.S. violations of past agreements require “maximum caution and intelligence” at the table. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad‑Baqer Qalibaf is also cited as praising Pakistan’s support, insisting Iran will not retreat from its rights, and warning that any renewed military escalation would prompt a “harsher and more crushing” Iranian response.
On the U.S. side, the article references claims by Axios and other outlets that Washington and Tehran are close to a 60‑day memorandum that could be extended by mutual consent and would include ending the war between Israel and Hezbollah, easing restrictions on Iranian oil sales, and relaxing some sanctions. At the same time, it highlights remarks attributed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is said to emphasize continued concerns over Iran’s enrichment activities, insist that a final agreement remains distant, and warn that alternatives to diplomacy remain “on the table” should talks fail. Nournews presents these statements as evidence that the United States is trying to maintain security and political pressure as leverage in negotiations, a posture it says has historically undermined Iranian trust.
The report also touches on debate within U.S. domestic politics, saying rifts are widening in former president Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” camp over the war with Iran. It cites Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene as warning that Trump could use the conflict with Iran as a pretext to cancel or postpone the 2028 presidential election, echoing broader concerns among some of his allies about the political costs and risks of extended military engagements. Nournews frames these divisions as a sign of growing unease in Washington about the trajectory of the confrontation.
Finally, the article links diplomatic developments to movements in global markets, pointing to higher oil prices and softer gold prices as indicators of investor anxiety over the future of the Strait of Hormuz and cautious optimism about diplomacy. Citing international newswires, it notes that fears of renewed escalation have driven energy prices up, while signs of progress in talks have supported European equities on hopes that a limited understanding would stabilize oil flows and ease inflationary pressures. Still, Nournews concludes that none of the parties are yet ready to declare success: Trump speaks publicly of Iran’s eagerness for a deal while keeping military threats in reserve, and Iranian officials insist they will not sign any agreement that does not clearly secure their core security and economic demands.