Trump Hints at Possible Iran Deal Within Days as White House Awaits Tehran's Response

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. and Iran have held "good talks over the last 24 hours," and expressed confidence that a deal could be finalized in the coming days.

The White House is awaiting Iran's response to a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war and establish a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations, as first reported by Axios.

U.S. officials stated they expect a response from Tehran within the next 24 to 48 hours. One official noted, "We are not far, but there is no deal yet."

Skepticism Amid Optimism

However, other U.S. officials remain skeptical about whether a deal will materialize. The White House is pushing for a diplomatic breakthrough by the time Trump concludes his China trip next Friday, June 13, 2025. If no agreement is reached by then, the president could again consider ordering military action.

"If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.

Key Provisions of the 14-Point MOU

The proposed MOU, negotiated between Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iranian officials (both directly and through mediators), includes several critical provisions:

• Iran commits to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment.
• The U.S. agrees to lift sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds.
• Both sides lift restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday that Iran is still reviewing the proposal and has not yet provided its response to Pakistani mediators.

Challenges in Negotiations

U.S. officials noted that the back-and-forth with Iran is slow because every message must travel to and from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding for security reasons.

Trump's Shifting Timeline for a Deal

Trump struck an optimistic tone Wednesday regarding the chances of a deal, even as his public timeline for negotiations appeared inconsistent.

"We're dealing with people that want to make a deal very much," Trump said at a White House event. "We'll see whether or not they are agreeing, and if they don't agree, they'll end up agreeing shortly thereafter."

In an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier, Trump suggested a deal could be reached within a week. However, later that day, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he stated he did not have a deadline.

U.S. officials have previously expressed optimism at earlier stages of the war and in past rounds of talks, yet no agreement has been secured.

Israel's Stance on the Negotiations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team held several calls with Trump and his advisers on Wednesday to discuss the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

"There is full coordination between us, there are no surprises. We share common goals, and the most important goal is the removal of the enriched material from Iran — all the enriched material — and the dismantling of Iran's enrichment capabilities," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Netanyahu added that Trump believes he can achieve that goal "one way or another," and confirmed that he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to be prepared if no agreement is reached.