Iran peace talks bog down over nuclear program and sanctions

Progress toward a deal to end the war with Iran slowed Monday as the two sides dug in over references to the country’s nuclear program and financial relief for Tehran, mediators said.

The slowdown followed a weekend that began with President Trump and other administration officials saying a deal was close, and ended with Trump saying he wouldn’t rush to conclude an agreement that wasn’t right.

Iran has also warned Washington that any Israeli attack on Beirut or the city’s southern suburbs would seriously threaten ongoing efforts to end the war and could collapse the current diplomatic track.

The warning comes as negotiations involving Tehran, Washington and regional mediators continue in Doha amid growing efforts to secure a broader understanding tied to the Strait of Hormuz and regional de-escalation.

After initial reports of an original deal surfaced, Trump came under criticism from more hawkish members of his party, who worried the agreement could open the Strait of Hormuz and ease the financial pressure on Iran’s regime, while leaving the nuclear program in tact.

“The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal,” Trump said early Monday on social media. The US and Iran are working toward a memorandum of understanding that would end conflict and lift constraints on shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz over 30 days, while setting the stage for talks about Iran’s nuclear program in a second phase. Relief from sanctions would depend on progress.

The US is seeking clearer commitments from Iran about its nuclear program up front, while Iranian negotiators are pressing for details from the US about relief from sanctions and asset freezes, mediators said. US officials worry that Iran will drag its feet on nuclear issues after securing some relief.

Israel and many gulf states have key interests in how this peace deal is negotiated, and associated worries with how certain deals may affect them. At this point, all possibilities, including a resumption of hostilities, are still on the table.