President Donald Trump is rejecting a return to the preliminary memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran in June, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday evening. Instead of reviving the earlier interim understandings, Trump is wagering that intensifying economic pressure and stricter sanctions enforcement will compel the regime in Tehran to deliver substantially deeper diplomatic and strategic concessions.
Tehran, conversely, is holding a rigid stance, insisting that any reopening of maritime navigation through the strategic Strait of Hormuz must strictly adhere to the framework outlined in June. That arrangement included direct sanctions relief and clear constraints on American economic measures.
According to the report, intensive mediation initiatives undertaken by Pakistan, Oman, and Qatar in recent weeks have yielded minimal breakthrough, with talks between Washington and Tehran remaining largely deadlocked.