U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said President Donald Trump still needs to sign off on the emerging memorandum of understanding.

The tentative agreement worked out by the two sides comes at a moment when the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared to be wavering.

The U.S. military earlier on Thursday (May 28, 2026) accused Iran of violating the ceasefire after Kuwait reported coming under attack following an American strike against the Islamic Republic. It was the latest flare-up of fighting to threaten ongoing negotiations to end the war.

Details of the tentative agreement were first reported by the news outlet Axios.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense phone call over the future course of the war on Iran as Washington appeared to be in favour of a deal instead of the resumption of strikes, U.S. media reported.

After the Tuesday (May 19, 2026) phone call with Mr. Trump, Mr. Netanyahu’s “hair was on fire”, U.S. media outlet Axios reported on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), adding that the Israeli Prime Minister was keen on the resumption of strikes to further degrade Iran’s military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure.

Mr. Trump on Sunday (May 17, 2026) said he had put-off strikes on Iran, planned for Tuesday (May 19, 2026), following a request from Arab nations including Qatar and the UAE.

A revised peace memo was drafted by Qatar and Pakistan with input from the other regional mediators to try to bridge the gaps between the U.S. and Iran, Axios reported, quoting sources.

Mr. Netanyahu is highly sceptical about the negotiations and wants to resume the war to further degrade Iran’s military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure.

Mr. Trump continues to say he thinks a deal can be reached, but that he’s ready to resume the war if it isn’t.

“The only question is, do we go and finish it up, or are they gonna be signing a document. Let’s see what happens,” he said on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) at the Coast Guard Academy.  Later on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), he said the U.S. and Iran were “right on the borderline” between getting a deal and resuming the war.

“It’s right on the borderline, believe me. If we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go. We have to get the right answers — it would have to be a complete 100% good answers,” Mr. Trump told reporters after he returned to Washington from the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. 

There is a strong desire in the upper echelons of the Israeli government for renewed military action, CNN reported, quoting an Israeli source, and mounting frustration that Mr. Trump is continuing to allow what they say is Iran’s diplomatic foot-dragging.

Mr. Trump also said Mr. Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do” on Iran, though he also said they had a good relationship. Iran has confirmed it’s reviewing an updated proposal, but has not yet shown any signs of flexibility.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) that negotiations were ongoing “based on Iran’s 14-point proposal,” and that Pakistan’s Interior Minister was in Tehran to help the mediation.

Mr. Trump told Mr. Netanyahu that the mediators were working on a “letter of intent” that both the U.S. and Iran would sign to formally end the war and launch a 30-day period of negotiations on issues like Iran’s nuclear program and opening of the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. source briefed on the call told Axios.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a veiled warning over rising tensions in the West Asia, posting an AI-generated image and message that read, “It was the calm before the storm,” amid reports that he is in discussions with top aides on potentially resuming air strikes on Iran.

The image shared on his social media shows Mr. Trump wearing a Make America Great Again hat alongside a U.S. Navy Admiral, standing on a naval ship amid rough seas and lightning. Iranian ships can be seen in the background, intensifying the symbolic tone of confrontation. The post has been widely interpreted as a signal directed at Tehran at a time of fragile regional stability.

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Mr. Trump’s message comes as reports suggest his administration is weighing critical decisions on Iran policy. The New York Times claimed that Mr. Trump is preparing to make a major decision on Iran, with aides reportedly discussing contingency plans for renewed air operations if diplomatic efforts fail.

In recent remarks, Mr. Trump has also warned of a “very bad time” for Iran if a peace deal is not reached soon. Speaking to French broadcaster BFMTV in a telephone interview, he said, “They have an interest in reaching an agreement.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his government has received messages indicating willingness from the Trump administration for new talks, but stressed that “distrust” toward Washington’s intentions remains.

Although a ceasefire was reached last month, the region continues to witness heightened tensions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which nearly 20% of global oil trade flows. The United States continues to maintain a strong naval presence in the Gulf, even as its largest carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, recently concluded an extended deployment.

Earlier, Iranian officials have maintained a firm stance. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reportedly warned that alternative proposals to Tehran’s 14-point peace plan would be “completely inconclusive.” Iran has also proposed a new mechanism to manage shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with parliament committee chair Ebrahim Azizi stating on X that certain routes would remain closed to operators of the “Project Freedom,” while commercial vessels cooperating with Iran would be allowed passage under regulated conditions.

The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence on Friday (May 8, 2026) announced that the country’s air defences are “actively engaging” with a missile and drone attack as the Iran war’s shaky ceasefire was again challenged.

The Ministry advised residents not to approach, photograph or touch “any debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions.”

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Hours earlier, the U.S. military said it had intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday (May 7, 2026) night and “targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces.”

U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that U.S. forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defence strikes.

The U.S. military said no ships were hit. It said it doesn’t seek escalation but “remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”

President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that the ceasefire was holding despite the violence.

The tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has largely held since April 8. In-person talks between the two countries, hosted by Pakistan last month, failed to reach an agreement to end the war that began Feb. 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

The United States is pressing ahead with plans for an international coalition to open the Strait ‌of Hormuz, according to a State Department cable seen by Reuters, as oil prices surge on fears of ​lengthy disruptions to global fuel supplies.

Two months into the war that started with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, the ⁠vital sea channel remains closed, choking off 20% of the world’s supplies of oil and gas. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, after arrival in Russia on Monday (April 27, 2026), said that his trip to Islamabad was “very productive” and involved “good consultations” with Pakistan’s top leadership, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.

Mr. Aragchi arrived in Russia after his second visit to Islamabad in the last three days, where he met with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Sunday (April 26, 2026) evening.

The Strait of Hormuz remained closed on Sunday (April 19, 2026) in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran’s powerful Speaker of Parliament signalling a final peace deal was “far” off despite movement in negotiations.

As mediation efforts continued following high-level talks in Pakistan that failed to reach a deal, Iran said it would not reopen the crucial maritime trade route until the United States ended its blockade of Iranian ports.

The British military said on Saturday (April 18, 2026) that two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran said it has reimposed restrictions on the vital waterway.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the tanker and crew were reported safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday (April 16, 2026) that the United States and Iran were “very close” to a peace deal and that he would consider going to Pakistan to sign an agreement.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Mr. Trump added that Tehran had agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium, as the two countries mull further talks in Islamabad.