U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire for 60 days and begin talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to new reporting from Reuters and the Associated Press. The catch is the part that still matters most: President Donald Trump has not signed off.
Reuters reported Thursday that the United States and Iran had reached agreement on a memorandum of understanding to extend their ceasefire for 60 days, citing a source familiar with the matter. Reuters said the White House declined to comment, and noted that the news was first reported by Axios.
The Associated Press also reported that negotiators reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch nuclear talks. AP said a U.S. official familiar with the matter described the emerging MOU on condition of anonymity, and that Iran did not immediately confirm any deal with Washington.
Why This Is A New Phase
This is not just another vague “talks are continuing” update. Earlier reporting had pointed to a possible 60-day framework. The new reporting says negotiators have now reached a tentative agreement or MOU, while placing the final decision squarely on Trump.
That distinction matters. A framework is a diplomatic shape. An MOU, even a tentative one, suggests the sides have moved closer to a defined pause: keep the ceasefire alive for 60 more days and use that window to test whether nuclear terms can be negotiated without the war snapping back into full escalation.
It is still not a peace deal. It is not even a confirmed final agreement. Reuters noted that the Trump administration has several times said a deal was close, only for Iran to dispute or downplay those claims. AP likewise said Iran had not immediately confirmed the tentative deal.
The Ceasefire Is Still Under Fire
The timing is what makes the development sharper. AP reported that the tentative agreement came as the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire appeared to be wavering. U.S. Central Command accused Iran of an “egregious ceasefire violation” after Kuwait said it came under attack following a U.S. strike against Iran.
According to AP, U.S. military officials said Kuwait intercepted missiles fired from Iran late Wednesday. The report also said Washington and Tehran have traded strikes throughout the week while avoiding a full return to open hostilities.
That makes the MOU less like a clean diplomatic breakthrough and more like a race against momentum. The two governments are still talking, but the military track has not gone quiet. Every new strike or interception raises the risk that one side decides the ceasefire is already too damaged to preserve.
What Trump Has To Decide
Trump’s decision point is narrow but consequential. Approving the MOU would give negotiators a two-month runway to tackle the nuclear file and keep the ceasefire formally alive. Rejecting it, or delaying too long, could put the conflict back into the same pattern of strikes, retaliation, and emergency mediation.
The political pressure is real. Reuters reported that Trump has been under pressure from Iran hawks in his own party, who have urged him not to accept any agreement that fails to immediately address Iran’s nuclear program. That means the MOU’s nuclear-talks language may be judged not only by Tehran and Washington, but by Republicans who want harder terms up front.
For Iran, the risk is the mirror image. Tehran has to avoid making the pause look like surrender after months of war, sanctions pressure, and fighting around the Strait of Hormuz. That is one reason any public confirmation from Iran matters. Without it, the agreement remains a U.S.-sourced diplomatic claim rather than a settled joint position.
What To Watch Next
The immediate test is whether Trump approves the MOU and whether Iran publicly confirms the same terms. If both happen, the crisis would enter a defined 60-day diplomatic window focused on the nuclear program. If either side backs away, the “tentative” label will have done a lot of work.
The second test is whether the ceasefire can survive long enough for talks to matter. A formal extension would be important, but it would not automatically stop defensive strikes, drone interceptions, or disputes over who violated the pause first.
The cautious read is this: the U.S.-Iran crisis may have its clearest diplomatic off-ramp in weeks, but the off-ramp is not yet open. The MOU exists in reporting from Reuters and AP, Trump’s approval is still pending, and Iran has not publicly locked itself to the deal. In a war this volatile, that is progress. It is not closure.