Trump and Iran Say an Agreement Is Near, but They Mean Different Things

A senior U.S. official told reporters on June 11, 2026, that Washington and Tehran are close to signing a memorandum of understanding, not a final deal, and that it would be followed by about 60 days of technical and political negotiations. Donald Trump has continued to say an agreement with Iran is within reach, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later described the same basic sequence, an initial memorandum first, then talks on core issues such as sanctions and the nuclear file.

That apparent agreement masks major differences over substance. According to the American briefing, the memorandum would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the naval blockade, dismantling Iran's nuclear program, removing and destroying enriched material inside Iran, creating long-term monitoring, and committing Tehran to stop funding terror and regional violence. Araghchi said the text is not yet final, consists of only 14 clauses, and could still change.

The biggest split concerns regional war aims, especially Lebanon. The U.S. official was asked whether Israel would have to stop military activity in Lebanon after the signing and replied that Israel would still have the right to self-defense. He said Israel could respond if Hezbollah keeps firing at it or if Iran keeps financing the group.

Araghchi offered the opposite framing, saying ending the war would require an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and that Israel is not part of the solution but one of the main threats. He said, "The Zionist entity is an enemy of the potential agreement between us and the United States," and added that Iran would not abandon Hezbollah, saying, "We will never give up Hezbollah." Washington sees the deal as a step toward making Iran a more responsible regional actor, while Iran presents it as preserving its regional role and keeping the nuclear question open. The U.S. official estimated the chances of success at 80% to 85%, not 100%.