I will only sign a deal where we get everything we want
In the long and fractured history between Washington and Tehran, a rare moment of potential convergence has emerged — President Trump signaling that a nuclear agreement may be within reach, one that could reshape the security architecture of the Middle East. The proposed framework, touching on the Strait of Hormuz, frozen assets, and the fate of enriched uranium, represents both a diplomatic opening and a test of whether competing ambitions can be reconciled before the window closes. As Secretary of State Rubio speaks of days rather than weeks, the world watches a negotiation that carries consequences far beyond the two nations at its center.
- Trump declared the Iran deal 'largely negotiated' while simultaneously refusing to reveal its terms — a posture that signals confidence but leaves allies and adversaries alike reading between the lines.
- The shadow of military force looms large, with Trump warning that Iran would face consequences unlike anything seen before if talks collapse — rhetoric that raises the stakes of every passing hour.
- A sweeping Saturday conference call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, the UAE, Jordan, and Qatar revealed just how many regional powers are invested in — and uncertain about — the outcome.
- Secretary of State Rubio, speaking from New Delhi, suggested an announcement could come within days, injecting rare urgency into a diplomatic process that has long moved in circles.
- The gap between 'largely negotiated' and a signed agreement remains real — with Trump still weighing options and no final commitment made, the finish line is visible but not yet crossed.
On Saturday, President Trump told CBS News that U.S. and Iranian negotiators were drawing closer to a final nuclear agreement, though he kept the specifics deliberately vague. In a social media post, he described the deal as 'largely negotiated,' with only final details remaining — and in a phone interview, he suggested terms were improving by the day, even as he declined to elaborate before informing the other side.
Sources briefed on the talks described a framework built around three pillars: reopening the Strait of Hormuz, unfreezing Iranian assets held abroad, and a commitment to continue negotiations on unresolved issues. Trump insisted any agreement must prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and ensure its enriched uranium is 'satisfactorily handled.' He was equally firm that he would only sign a deal that delivered everything the U.S. sought.
Yet Trump had not committed to any specific proposal. That same afternoon, he convened a conference call with leaders from seven regional nations — Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, the UAE, Jordan, and Qatar — to discuss the negotiations. One regional official noted that some of those leaders remained unsure which direction Trump was leaning.
The threat of military action cast a long shadow over the talks. Trump warned of consequences unlike anything Iran had ever faced if no deal emerged, echoing earlier statements that entire civilizations hung in the balance. Secretary of State Rubio, speaking from New Delhi, offered a more measured but still urgent note — suggesting an announcement could come within days and affirming that the issue would be resolved 'one way or another.'
The broad outlines of a settlement appeared to be forming, but the distance between a framework and a signed agreement remained significant. With multiple regional powers involved and the president's own hesitation still evident, the path to resolution — though closer than it has been in years — remained uncertain.
President Trump told CBS News on Saturday that negotiators from the United States and Iran were drawing closer to a final agreement, though he remained cagey about the specifics. In a social media post that afternoon, he claimed the peace deal had been "largely negotiated," with only final details still being hammered out. When pressed for particulars, Trump demurred. "I can't tell you before I tell them, right?" he said in a phone interview, though he did volunteer that the terms were improving daily.
According to sources briefed on the talks, the emerging proposal includes three main elements: a mechanism to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the unfreezing of Iranian assets currently held in foreign banks, and a commitment to continue negotiations on outstanding issues. Trump said he believed the agreement would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons—a condition he deemed non-negotiable. He also stressed that any deal would ensure Iran's enriched uranium was "satisfactorily handled." "I will only sign a deal where we get everything we want," he declared.
Yet Trump had not committed to accepting any particular proposal. Sources said he was still weighing options and consulting with advisers and foreign leaders. On Saturday afternoon alone, he convened a conference call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Qatar to discuss the Iran negotiations. One regional official told CBS News that some of these leaders remained uncertain which direction Trump was leaning.
The threat of military action hung over the talks. Trump warned that if no agreement materialized, "we're going to have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they're about to be hit." This echoed earlier warnings he had issued before a ceasefire began in April, when he said "a whole civilization will die" without a deal, and more recent statements that "the Clock is Ticking." Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from New Delhi on Saturday, suggested an announcement could come within days. "There's been some progress done, some progress made, even as I speak to you now, there's some work being done," Rubio said. "There is a chance that, whether it's later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say, but this issue needs to be solved, as the president said, one way or another."
The timing remained fluid. Trump's comments suggested the broad outlines of a settlement were taking shape, but the gap between "largely negotiated" and a signed agreement remained substantial. The involvement of multiple regional powers and the president's own stated hesitation indicated that even as the finish line came into view, significant obstacles could still derail the process.
Citas Notables
Every day it gets better and better— President Trump on the state of negotiations
There is a chance that, whether it's later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say— Secretary of State Marco Rubio
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
What does "largely negotiated" actually mean in this context? Is that a real milestone or political theater?
It's probably both. Trump is signaling to his allies and to Iran that momentum exists—that this isn't a dead-end conversation. But he's also keeping his options open. He hasn't committed to anything yet, which is why he's still consulting with Gulf leaders. The word "largely" is doing a lot of work there.
Why does reopening the Strait of Hormuz matter so much that it's the first thing mentioned in the proposal?
Because it's about global commerce and leverage. The strait is one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints. If Iran can't move oil, it has no economy. If the U.S. can't move goods through it freely, it affects everyone. Getting that passage open again is both a practical necessity and a symbolic win for whoever claims credit.
Trump says he won't sign unless he gets "everything we want." How realistic is that?
It's not. No deal works that way. What he probably means is that he won't sign something that looks like a loss—something that his base or his advisers can attack. But "everything" is a negotiating posture, not a real outcome.
The threat about "no country will ever be hit as hard" feels different from typical diplomatic language.
It is. That's Trump signaling that the military option is real and imminent if talks fail. It's meant to pressure Iran and also to show his own allies that he's serious. Whether it's a bluff or a genuine threat is the question everyone in that conference call was probably trying to figure out.
Why involve so many regional leaders in a single call?
Because any deal that affects Iran affects all of them—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt. They have skin in the game. Trump needs them to feel heard and to support whatever he announces. But the fact that one official said some leaders don't know which way he's leaning suggests the call was more about managing expectations than building consensus.