US-Iran Draft Framework Would Move Enriched Uranium Abroad and Reopen Hormuz, but Neither Side Has Confirmed It

On Friday, a Qatari delegation landed in Tehran carrying a letter. According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, the team was led by a senior adviser to Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, and it travelled in coordination with Washington as part of an effort to restore a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The letter was from US Vice President JD Vance, addressed to Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei. It was reportedly received positively in Tehran because it laid out a fresh diplomatic path aimed at preventing further American military strikes.

The visit coincided with a report from Al Arabiya describing a preliminary framework for a possible deal. Its central proposals: Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile would be moved to a third country that both sides agree on, or its enrichment levels would be lowered. The Strait of Hormuz would reopen to international shipping within seven days of an initial understanding. Direct talks between Washington and Tehran would be held in Doha, replacing Istanbul as the proposed venue.

The draft, as Al Arabiya describes it, is built on sequencing. Concessions by one side would depend on independently verified commitments from the other. Iran's steps on its nuclear programme and maritime security would be matched by American moves to ease sanctions, blockades and other economic restrictions. China would reportedly act as guarantor, overseeing implementation and the long-term durability of any agreement. A dispute-resolution mechanism involving mediators and guarantor countries would handle delays or violations, with the stated aim of keeping a disagreement from triggering another round of military escalation.

None of this has been confirmed by either government. The framework remains preliminary, and the terms come through a single media report rather than from Washington or Tehran. Fundamental disagreements persist over Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions and the US blockade of Iranian ports.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, projected little urgency. "There are talks. They want to talk. They keep talking," he said. He claimed Iran was not paying its soldiers or police and was "in a lot of trouble." "And we have time, frankly," he added, noting that the US has been in the conflict for seven months and calling it not a typical war.

Trump also played down what the campaign costs Washington. "We're spending very little money, relatively speaking," he said, adding that the United States had recovered its spending "by 10 times" through Venezuela. He offered no figures or evidence for that claim. He has also kept military action in view, previously suggesting the US could launch "another little Epic Fury," a reference to the initial American operation against Iran, while saying on other occasions that a "big and good" agreement could still emerge.

A second channel ran through Ankara. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday on the sidelines of a G20 ministerial gathering hosted in the United States. Turkey's Anadolu Agency said they discussed the US-Iran negotiations, regional developments and bilateral ties. The meeting followed a call earlier in the week between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Trump, in which Ankara voiced concern over maritime security and backed diplomatic efforts to lower tensions.

With Qatar carrying messages, Turkey talking to Washington and China named as a possible guarantor, the effort now involves several regional and international players. Whether it produces a deal depends on whether the two sides can close the gaps on nuclear restrictions, maritime access and sanctions relief.