Israel Says It’s Being Kept in the Loop as U.S.-Iran Talks Move Toward a Draft Deal

As talks between the United States and Iran continue to advance, Israel’s inner security cabinet is expected to convene tonight (Sunday), as conflicting messages keep coming from Washington and Tehran about the substance of the understandings now taking shape.

A senior Israeli official said the United States has been updating Israel on an ongoing basis about the negotiations surrounding the memorandum of understanding, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and entering negotiations toward a final agreement on issues that remain in dispute.

According to the official, during a conversation last night between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, Netanyahu stressed that Israel will preserve its freedom of action against threats on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Trump, it was said, reiterated his support for that principle.

It was also reported that Trump made clear that during the negotiations he will insist on his demand to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and remove all enriched uranium stockpiles from Iranian territory, and that he will not sign a final agreement if those conditions are not met.

The Israeli official added that the prime minister expressed his appreciation to Trump for his ongoing commitment to Israel’s security.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official told Reuters earlier that Iran does not agree to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. He also claimed that the nuclear issue is not part of the preliminary agreement now taking shape with the United States.

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, also reported that the dispute between the sides has not yet been resolved. According to a source familiar with the details of the contacts, “The dispute between Iran and the United States over one or two clauses in the emerging memorandum of understanding is still ongoing,” and that because of “continued objections and difficulties מצד the United States, no final decision has yet been reached.” The same source said Iran “insists on exercising its rights,” and that this message was conveyed to the Pakistani mediator. According to him, if Washington continues to place obstacles, “it will not be possible to complete the memorandum of understanding.”

Earlier, a source familiar with the contacts told The Washington Post that the United States and Iran are expected to announce by tomorrow a draft agreement to end the fighting. According to the report, the draft was formulated overnight and approved by senior officials on both sides, including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “some progress has been made. Significant progress, but not final progress. I do not want to downplay that, but it is important to me to make clear that there is still work to be done.” He added, “It is possible that in the coming hours the world will receive good news, at least regarding the Strait of Hormuz, and regarding a process that will ultimately lead us to the place where the president wants us to be.”

Rubio stressed that Washington does not intend to agree to an arrangement that would strengthen Tehran in nuclear terms. “The idea that this president would agree to a deal that ultimately strengthens Iran in terms of its nuclear ambitions is absurd. That is simply not going to happen.”

Regarding the threat to shipping routes, the U.S. secretary of state added: “The Iranians do not own the Strait of Hormuz. It is an international shipping lane.” He continued, “What they are doing now is threatening to destroy commercial vessels using an international shipping lane. If we allow that to become the norm, we will set a dangerous precedent that could be applied in many other places around the world.”

According to sources who spoke to the Saudi channel Al Arabiya, the possible initial agreement is expected to be called the “Islamabad Declaration.” According to the report, after the memorandum of understanding is finalized, negotiations will begin on a permanent agreement dealing with the final-status issues. It was also reported that Pakistan will be responsible for announcing the memorandum of understanding, without the need for the sides to be present, and that the next round of talks between Washington and Tehran may take place on June 5, when the sides will send their delegation heads to open discussions on the final agreement.