US President Donald Trump said on Monday that negotiations with Iran were “proceeding nicely” and said he asked countries including the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan to sign onto the Abraham Accords as part of US efforts to reach a deal with Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “It will only be a great deal for all or no deal at all — back to the battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before — and nobody wants that,” he said.
He further said that during his discussions on Saturday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, as well as Field Marshal Asim Munir, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
“I stated that, after all the work done by the US to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these countries, at a minimum, simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords,” he stated.
Trump said that the countries discussed included Saudi Arabia, the UAE (already a member), Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain (already a member). He added that while one or two might have reasons not to join, “that will be accepted, but most should be ready, willing, and able” to make the settlement a far more historic event than it would otherwise be.
He said the Abraham Accords had proven to be, for the countries involved (the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and Kazakhstan), a financial, economic, and social boom, even during a time of conflict and war, with current members never suggesting leaving or even pausing participation.
“The reason for this is that the Abraham Accords have been great for them, and will be even better for everybody, and bring true power, strength, and peace to the Middle East for the first time in 5,000 years. It will be a document respected like no other that has ever been signed anywhere in the world,” he added.
The US president said the process should begin with the immediate signing by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with others expected to follow. He warned that those who do not sign “should not be part of this deal, in that it shows bad intention”.
“In speaking to numerous of the great leaders mentioned above, they would be honoured, as soon as our document is signed, to have the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of the Abraham Accords. Wow, now that would be something special! This will be the most important deal that any of these great but always in conflict countries will ever sign. Nothing in the past or in the future will surpass it,” he said.
“Therefore, I am mandatorily requesting that all countries immediately sign the Abraham Accords, and that, if Iran signs its agreement with me, as President of the United States of America, it would be an honour to have them also be part of this unparalleled world coalition. The Middle East would be united, powerful, and economically strong, like perhaps no other area anywhere in the world. By copy of this TRUTH, I am asking my representatives to begin, and successfully complete, the process of signing these countries into the already historic Abraham Accords,” he said.
Trump said those countries would be honoured to have Iran as part of the accords, a set of agreements to normalise relations with Israel.
Trump says Iran deal will either be ‘great, meaningful’ or there will be ‘no deal’
US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday that the deal with Iran “will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal.”
He stated that it will be the opposite of the “JCPOA disaster” that the Obama administration negotiated, claiming that that was a “direct and open path to a Nuclear Weapon for Iran.”
“No, I don’t do deals like that!”
Iran will not submit to enemy’s ‘excessive demands’: Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian slammed the enemy’s insistence on imposing an economic war against Iran, saying the country will not submit to the enemy’s “excessive demands,” according to Iranian state broadcaster IRNA.
In a meeting with members of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture on Monday, Pezeshkian said that negotiations with the US were planned to ensure that Iran’s rights as a nation are fully secured, and that the nation will not submit to pressures and demands.
🚨President Pezeshkian:
We will not give in to the excesses of the #enemy.
The rights of the Iranian nation must be fully enforced.
— IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) May 25, 2026
Although the adversaries shifted their focus to economic warfare after military failure, the government and the private sector will also successfully navigate this stage, he added.
On May 20, Pezeshkian said in an X post that “Iran has consistently honoured its commitments and explored every avenue to avert war; all paths remain open from our side.”
Iran has consistently honored its commitments and explored every avenue to avert war; all paths remain open from our side. Forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion. Mutual respect in diplomacy is far wiser, safer, and more sustainable than war.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) May 20, 2026
“Forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion. Mutual respect in diplomacy is far wiser, safer, and more sustainable than war,” he added.
Xi says China commends Pakistan for its mediating role in restoring peace in Middle East
China commends Pakistan for taking the initiative to play a mediating role in restoring peace in the Middle East, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday when meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Read: Pakistan, China sign agreements spanning agriculture, education, media and trade
PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan appreciated China’s support for Pakistan in mediating the US-Iran negotiations, noting that President Xi’s four propositions on the Middle East situation offer guidance for achieving peace
China urges US, Iran to maintain ‘momentum of de-escalation’
China on Monday urged the US and Iran to continue the “momentum of de-escalation” as potential signs emerged that the war between the two sides could wind down following recent diplomatic contacts.
“China’s position on the Iranian situation is very clear. This is a conflict that should never have happened and there is no need for it to continue,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.
She was responding to questions about ongoing intense diplomatic efforts toward a potential pact between the US and Iran to permanently end the war, which began on February 28. “An earlier solution serves the interests of both the US and Iran, as well as regional countries and the world at large,” said Mao.
Read more: PM Shehbaz meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, reaffirms commitment to CPEC
The spokeswoman stressed it was “important to sustain the momentum of de-escalation, stay committed to the direction of political resolution, and seek a solution through dialogue and consultation that accommodates the concerns of all parties.”
Iran says framework reached in US talks but final deal not imminent
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran and Washington had reached a framework on several issues during ongoing negotiations, but cautioned that a final agreement between the two sides was not imminent.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday, Baghaei said, “We have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the discussion topics; this is correct, but this does not mean that the signing of an agreement is imminent.”
He added that the current focus of the negotiations was on ending the ongoing conflict rather than discussions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.
“At this stage, we are not talking about the nuclear issue and our focus is on ending the war,” he stated, adding that Tehran was working to safeguard its national interests through diplomacy and other measures.
The spokesperson reiterated that Iran had no guarantees the United States would honour its commitments under any future agreement and stressed that Tehran would not be influenced by threats or political pressure. “Threats, pressures, depictions, and publishing caricatures are well part of politics in that part of the world. We pursue our work in the field of action,” he said.
Baghaei also acknowledged mediation efforts by Pakistan and other regional countries, saying recent progress in negotiations had been facilitated through indirect diplomatic channels. “The changes in recent weeks have been caused by mediation from Pakistan and other countries,” he said, adding that discussions also included provisions aimed at ending the conflict in Lebanon.
Commenting on the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said management of the strategic waterway was the responsibility of the countries bordering it. “We are in contact with the countries bordering the Strait of Hormuz to provide security there and to protect their interests,” he said. “While Tehran will not take any tolls, it is normal that services that will be provided would require a price,” he added.
Baghaei further warned that Iran would respond to its adversaries at a time and in a manner of its own choosing. “As a civilised, stylish, and powerful nation, wherever we deem necessary, in whatever way is appropriate, we will respond to the enemy, as we have already done so,” he said.
US, Iran could finalise deal ‘maybe today,’ says Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that there might be news “maybe today” in the talks between Iran and the US to end the war.
“Work still in progress. We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today…,” Rubio told reporters in the Indian capital New Delhi, as he flew to the Indian city of Agra to visit the landmark, Taj Mahal.
The US diplomat said there is “a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits, get the straits open, enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matters.”
“Hopefully we can pull it off,” he said.
Rubio, who is on a four-day visit to India, said US President Donald Trump is not “going to make a bad deal,” and the US is going to give “diplomacy every chance to succeed.”
“As the President (Trump) said, he’s not in a hurry; he’s not going to make a bad deal. I mean, the President is not going to make a bad agreement. So let’s see what happens. We’re going to give diplomacy every chance to succeed before we explore the alternative,” he said.
During military conflict Iran’s tactic was “an eye for an eye,” and in diplomatic conflict, it is “action for action”, Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesperson of the Iranian parliament, said on Monday.
در دوره جنگ نظامی تاکتیک ما چشم در مقابل چشم بود، در جنگ دیپلماتیک اقدام در مقابل اقدام است.
بلوف رییسجمهور شکستخورده را باور نکنید، زمان به ضرر آمریکاییهاست.
اگر توافق میخواهند مذاکره کنند، اگر بنزین ۶ دلاری میخواهند بایستند و بلوف بزنند تا علف زیر پایشان سبز شود.
ایران زیر…
— ابراهیم رضایی (@EbrahimRezaei14) May 25, 2026
Iran would not yield to pressure or threats, and if the United States wanted an agreement, it should negotiate, but if it wanted $6-gasoline it could continue bluffing, he added on X.
Iran’s top negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has been reelected as the country’s parliamentary speaker, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday.
Trump says there is no rush for Iran deal, US blockade stays
Trump said on Sunday he had told his representatives not to rush into any deal with Iran, as his administration played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough in the three-month-old war that had been raised a day earlier.
The US blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Both sides must take their time and get it right,” he added.
There was no immediate response from Iran’s government. But Tasnim news agency, which is linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said the US was still obstructing parts of a potential deal, including Tehran’s demand for the release of frozen funds.
A day earlier, Trump said Washington and Iran had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which before the conflict carried one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
The two sides remain at odds on several difficult issues, such as Iran’s pursuit of peaceful nuclear endeavours, Israel’s war in Lebanon with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions and the release of tens of billions of dollars of Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks.
Working out deal’s details
A senior Trump administration official told reporters an agreement would not be signed on Sunday, saying that the Iranian system did not move fast enough. But he outlined what he said were the latest contours of what was being negotiated.
Also read: US official says Washington, Tehran reach preliminary deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz: reports
The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Iran had agreed “in principle” to open the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for the United States lifting its naval blockade, and to dispose of Tehran’s highly enriched uranium.
He said the US understood Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had endorsed the broad template of the deal.
There was no immediate confirmation from Iran or elaboration on what an “in principle” agreement meant.
The US official said Washington envisioned first reopening the strait and lifting the US naval blockade. Negotiating the details of the nuclear measures would take more time, he said.
He pushed back on suggestions that Iran has not accepted disposing of its stockpiled enriched uranium. “It’s a question about how,” the official said.
A second senior administration official said on Sunday that the proposed framework would give negotiators 60 days to reach a final deal.
Iranian sources had told Reuters that in future stages, “feasible formulas” could be found to resolve the dispute over its highly enriched uranium stockpile, including diluting the material under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog.
Iran has long denied US and Israeli accusations that it is pursuing nuclear weapons and says it has a right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, although the purity it has achieved far exceeds that needed for power generation.
LNG tankers clear Strait of Hormuz, bound for Pakistan and China: Report
Two liquefied natural gas tankers are exiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, heading to Pakistan and China, while a supertanker with Iraqi crude for China left the Gulf on Saturday after being stranded for nearly three months, shipping data showed.
The US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28 has severely curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of the world’s supply of oil and LNG normally flows.
The vessels are among a handful of supertankers exiting the Gulf this month via a transit route that Iran has ordered ships to use. Last week, three Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) made their way to China and South Korea with 6 million barrels of crude.
LNG tanker Fuwairit is crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and is expected to discharge its cargo in Pakistan on Tuesday, shipping data on LSEG and Kpler showed. The vessel, sailing under the Bahamas flag, loaded LNG at Qatar’s Ras Laffan port around March 28.
Deal draws out US critics
Trump, whose approval ratings have been hit by the war’s impact on US energy prices and who has faced congressional efforts to curb his war powers, has repeatedly played up the prospect of an agreement to end the conflict that the US and Israel started on February 28. A tenuous ceasefire has been in place since early April.
Oil prices hit two-week lows to kickstart the week with Brent crude futures down over 4% to $98.83 a barrel — the first time it has dipped below $100 in intraday trading since early May — while US West Texas Intermediate was at $92.03 a barrel, also down over 4%.
As details of the possible agreement emerged over the weekend, critics, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Democratic lawmakers argued that it offered little beyond the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by former President Barack Obama, from which Trump withdrew during his first term.
Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the deal’s reported outlines would amount to little more than “the pre-war status quo” with Iran.
“I think this was a blunder,” Van Hollen said on the “Fox News Sunday” program. “When you’re digging a hole, you should stop digging, and that sounds like maybe what we’re doing finally.”
Trump, who has also faced criticism from hawkish conservatives over his willingness to compromise with Iran, pushed back.
“If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one … So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
In another potential stumbling block, an Iranian military adviser to Khamenei said Tehran had the legal right to manage the Strait of Hormuz, though it was not clear if that meant continuing to decide which ships can go through.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said 33 vessels had passed through the strait over the past 24 hours after getting permission from Tehran, still far short of the 140 on a typical day before the war.
Any deal reinforcing the current fragile ceasefire would bring relief to markets but not immediately quell a global energy crisis, which has driven up costs of fuel, fertiliser, and food.
Even if the war ends now, full flows through the strait will not return before the first or second quarter of 2027, the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said last week.
The US-Israeli bombing of Iran killed thousands of people in Iran before it was suspended in early April.
Israel has also killed thousands more and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes in Lebanon, which it invaded in pursuit of Hezbollah. Iranian strikes on Israel and neighbouring Gulf states have killed dozens.Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneReutersRead More