WASHINGTON -- As conflicting signals continue to emerge from Washington and Tehran over reports of a possible interim agreement, the White House has struggled to clarify whether the US and Iran are actually on the verge of a deal.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that negotiations were ongoing and stressed that President Donald Trump would not accept a “bad deal” for the US.The uncertainty comes amid reports that Washington and Tehran may be discussing a 60-day framework aimed at extending a cease-fire and reopening negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.The reported diplomacy has exposed divisions both within the Trump administration and among Republicans, with critics accusing the White House of softening its stance toward Tehran even as tensions continue in the Strait of Hormuz.
To better understand what may be happening behind the scenes, RFE/RL spoke with Alexander Gray, who served as chief of staff of the National Security Council during President Donald Trump’s first term and is now CEO of the geopolitical consulting firm American Global Strategies.'I Think We’re Getting Very Close'RFE/RL: Let’s start with the big picture. What do we actually know today about the reported US-Iran agreement, and how close does this appear to be to final approval from President Trump?Alexander Gray: Well, I think the president has made it clear that, pending something that would be unexpected at this point, he would like to find a deal. His goal is to conclude the conflict in a way that is consistent with his long-standing comments over more than a decade that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. He has been very consistent and very clear about that objective.So, presuming that the Iranians are operating within the realm of the basic US priorities here -- reopening the strait to normal operations and making progress toward nuclear dismantlement -- I think we are moving very much in a positive direction toward ending this conflict.RFE/RL: Given the mixed signals coming from both sides, does that suggest negotiations are entering the final stretch, or that major disagreements still remain behind closed doors?Gray: I think we are at the finish line. I think we’re getting very close. Only the people directly involved know just how close, and obviously the president is going to reserve for himself the ultimate authority to determine whether this deal meets his long-stated goals.
