Trump signals delay on Iran deal as Republicans raise concerns over ceasefire, oil sales and nuclear program

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday, May 24, 2026, that American negotiators had been instructed not to hurry negotiations with Iran, as expectations and criticism surrounding a possible agreement continued to rise. The comments came amid reports that both countries were moving closer to a framework arrangement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia.


In a post on Truth Social, Trump said negotiations were moving forward in a “constructive and orderly” way and added that “time is on our side.” He also said the existing blockade on Iranian ports would continue until a final agreement was reached, officially certified and signed.

The United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports on April 13 after Tehran nearly stopped movement through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s action came in response to the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran that began on February 28. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most economically important maritime routes.

Trump stated that both sides should proceed carefully during negotiations. In the same social media post, he criticized the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated during the administration of former President Barack Obama.

He said relations between Washington and Tehran were becoming “more professional and productive,” while stressing that Iran must not be allowed to develop or obtain a nuclear weapon or bomb.

Although the White House has not publicly released details of the negotiations, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Saturday, May 23, that discussions were progressing toward what he described as a memorandum of understanding.


Speaking on Iranian state television, Baqaei said the two countries were nearing “a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses.” He described the negotiations as part of “a trend toward rapprochement.”

Reports about possible terms of the agreement began circulating as talks advanced. According to Axios, one possible arrangement under discussion would extend the current ceasefire by 60 days. During that period, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, Iran would be permitted to freely sell oil, and negotiations would continue regarding Tehran’s nuclear program.

The reports triggered criticism from several Republican lawmakers, including allies of Trump, who argued that the possible terms could favor Iran.

Roger Wicker, the leading Republican senator overseeing defense policy, criticized the idea of a proposed 60-day ceasefire. He said agreeing to such an arrangement would mean that “everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught.”

Republican senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham also expressed concern over reports that Iran could regain the ability to sell oil freely.


In a post on X, Cruz said it would be “a disastrous mistake” if the result of the negotiations allowed the Iranian government to receive billions of dollars while still being able to enrich uranium, develop nuclear weapons and maintain effective control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Thom Tillis also questioned the direction of the negotiations during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Tillis said he did not understand how the administration could now discuss accepting nuclear material remaining in Iran after earlier statements from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defence suggested that Iran’s defenses had been “obliterated.”

He said officials had indicated about 11 weeks earlier that it was only a matter of time before nuclear material was secured, and questioned how a new negotiating position allowing such material to remain in Iran would make sense.

The debate over the negotiations continues as Washington and Tehran move closer to what could become a formal framework agreement, while political divisions inside the United States grow over how far the administration should go in negotiations with Iran.