The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly informed mediators that it does not intend to revert to the terms of the memorandum of understanding agreed with Iran in June. This shift places current mediation efforts in a deadlock, leaving the parties without a clear framework for resuming negotiations.
According to informed sources cited by the newspaper, Trump is no longer interested in resurrecting the memorandum intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, start negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, and end the war in exchange for easing sanctions and granting Tehran access to its frozen funds abroad.
The preliminary agreement, signed by Trump at the Palace of Versailles and negotiated by his Vice President J.D. Vance, aimed to chart a political course to end the confrontation. However, it collapsed within weeks as tensions resumed in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran attacking ships it claimed violated transit arrangements.
Trump Bets on Economic Pressure
Following the agreement's collapse, Trump has settled on a strategy of intensifying economic pressure on Iran, willing to wait and see if this approach will lead Tehran to change its stance, the newspaper points out.
The sources indicate that the U.S. president specifically does not wish to return to the June memorandum, which faced criticism in the United States for being perceived as lenient on Iran.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed the administration is currently focused on increasing economic pressure, noting that no ongoing or scheduled talks with Iran are taking place, and the maritime blockade continues alongside a campaign to cut off Iran's remaining sources of funding.
This marks a shift from Trump's earlier stance in the conflict, where he frequently expressed a desire for a negotiated settlement, while the administration struggled to reach a formula that could be portrayed as a political victory.
Mediators at an Impasse
Conversely, mediators are trying to persuade Iran to soften its demands, warning that Washington will not return to the previous format of the memorandum of understanding.
However, the firm positions of the parties, according to sources, have left mediators with the fundamental problem of no agreed framework to relaunch negotiations.
In the latest mediation attempt, Pakistan's army chief and chief negotiator, Asim Munir, visited Tehran earlier in the week but left without any significant progress, the newspaper states.
The efforts subsequently shifted to Oman, which sought to reach an understanding with Iran on the transit routes used by ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, hoping the agreement would serve as a first step towards broader talks about reopening the waterway.
These efforts face challenges, as sources indicate that Iran seeks to introduce arrangements granting it greater control over ship movements, a core issue in the current Strait of Hormuz dispute.
Thus, the crisis presents a more complex equation: Washington bets on economic pressure and blockade pushing Iran to make concessions, while Iran attempts to consolidate its influence in the Strait of Hormuz before returning to any negotiations, as mediators search for a new framework after the June memorandum is practically off the U.S. administration’s table.