Report: U.S., Iran Reach Draft 60-Day Ceasefire And Nuclear Talks Deal

U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a draft 60-day memorandum of understanding that would extend the current ceasefire and launch negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, according to an Axios report published Thursday. President Donald Trump has not yet given final approval to the proposed agreement.

According to Axios, the draft framework would temporarily stabilize the situation between Washington and Tehran after weeks of military escalation across the region, while creating a path toward broader negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities and sanctions relief.

“This is an agreement to get everybody to the table. We will work out the details in the negotiations,” one U.S. official told Axios.

The report said the agreement was largely finalized by Tuesday, with negotiators from both sides securing approval from senior leadership. U.S. officials claimed Iran later informed mediators it was ready to sign the agreement, though Tehran has not publicly confirmed that claim.

Under the reported terms, the 60-day agreement would guarantee unrestricted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, prohibit Iranian harassment of vessels and require Iran to remove naval mines from the waterway within 30 days. The U.S. naval blockade would reportedly be lifted gradually as commercial shipping resumes.

The framework would also include an Iranian commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons. According to Axios, the first stage of negotiations would focus on Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and the future of Iranian uranium enrichment.

The United States would reportedly agree to discuss sanctions relief, frozen Iranian funds and mechanisms to increase the flow of humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Iran during the negotiation period.

Trump was briefed on the agreement by U.S. negotiators but did not immediately approve it.

“The president relayed to the mediators that he wants a couple of days to think about it,” a U.S. official told Axios.

The reported diplomatic breakthrough came as the ceasefire itself faced new tensions overnight.

According to U.S. officials cited by AP, Iranian drones threatened American forces and commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military reportedly intercepted several drones before striking what officials described as an Iranian drone-control facility near Bandar Abbas that was preparing another launch.

American officials described the strike as “measured” and “purely defensive,” saying it was intended to preserve the ceasefire rather than expand the conflict.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later claimed it retaliated against a U.S. airbase following the Bandar Abbas strike. Reuters reported the IRGC did not identify the location of the base, though Kuwait and U.S. Central Command said Iranian missiles and drones targeted Kuwaiti territory.

Kuwait condemned the attack as “blatant aggression,” while CENTCOM called it “an egregious ceasefire violation.”

Meanwhile, Israel carried out a targeted strike in Beirut on Thursday after 22 days without attacks in the Lebanese capital. Reuters reported the strike targeted Ali al-Husseini, identified by security sources as a Hezbollah-linked missile operations commander connected to Iran-backed forces.

Reuters also reported Israeli officials said Israel delayed strikes in Beirut for several weeks following requests from the Trump administration as Washington pursued diplomacy with Tehran.

It remains unclear whether the overnight exchanges will affect Trump’s final decision on the proposed agreement. If approved, negotiations between the United States and Iran could begin within days.