US-Iran Deal Faces Hurdle As Tehran Rejects Agreement Without Securing Its Rights

Updated: Sunday, May 31, 2026, 20:49 [IST]

Iran has refused to finalise a deal with the United States (US) unless Iran’s rights are fully guaranteed, even as talks continue to end the conflict that began on February 28. Negotiators from both sides are reported to have settled several points, yet the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme and key security guarantees still blocks any agreement.

In a televised address, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iranian negotiators “neither trust the enemy's words nor its promises”. “We will not approve any agreement until we are certain that the rights of the Iranian people have been upheld,” Ghalibaf, who is Iran's chief negotiator, said. Ghalibaf stressed that Tehran expects firm commitments, not verbal assurances, from the US side.

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Iran requires guaranteed rights before finalizing a US deal, while talks continue on conflict resolution post-February 28. Key disputes over Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and Strait of Hormuz security remain unresolved.

Economic demands and Strait of Hormuz in Iran US deal talks

Iran has pushed for the lifting of all sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian assets held in foreign banks. Iranian officials also want clear security arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz, a route used for roughly 20 to 25 per cent of global crude shipments. According to a report by Axios, President Donald Trump is seeking precise language on reopening Hormuz, and two US officials said Iranian negotiators may need up to three days to answer a new proposal.

Issue	Iran’s position	US position (reported)
Sanctions	All sanctions should be lifted.	Linked to progress on nuclear programme.
Frozen assets	Release assets in foreign banks.	Subject to final deal terms.
Strait of Hormuz	Secure shipping and clear reopening terms.	Wants careful wording on reopening Hormuz.
Nuclear programme	Central point of contention.	Trump says Iran agrees to drop nuclear ambition.

Nuclear dispute and Trump’s outlook on Iran US deal

Various reports suggest the US and Iran have already reached understanding on several issues, yet Tehran’s nuclear activities still form the main sticking point. President Donald Trump has claimed that the two countries are close to a deal and that Iran has also agreed to abandon its nuclear ambition. The Axios account added that Trump wants the Iran US deal concluded as soon as practical.

"We're close to a very good deal. If you're going to be in a hurry, you're not going to make a good deal, and slowly but surely, we're getting what we want and if we don't get what we want, we're going to end it a different way," Trump told daughter-in-law Lara Trump in an interview to Fox News on Saturday.

"But we're close to a very good deal. If we can make it, good. Otherwise we just start up with the Department of War as we call it," the Republican leader, who is a two-time president, added. "I said, well what happens if you buy a nuclear weapon? So now it says we will not develop or in any way purchase a military weapon. That's a big difference."

The talks over the Iran US deal now hinge on strict guarantees for Iranian rights, the scale of sanctions relief, release of foreign-held funds, the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme and clear rules for the Strait of Hormuz. Axios reported that Iranian officials might take as long as three days to answer Trump’s latest proposal, leaving the negotiations at a delicate stage.