The United States and Iran are struggling to reach a cease-fire agreement in Dubai due to disputes over nuclear provisions [1].
These negotiations are critical as they seek to end a conflict that has lasted approximately 80 days [2]. The failure to align on nuclear terms, alongside disagreements over the Hormuz Strait and frozen assets, threatens to derail the peace process.
U.S. officials said that any agreement must include a nuclear non-proliferation provision starting from the memorandum of understanding stage [3]. This stance creates a fundamental rift with the Iranian delegation, which has sought to keep nuclear issues separate from the immediate cease-fire terms.
An unnamed senior Iranian source said that the nuclear issue is not included in the current agreement draft [4]. Ismail Baghai, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said that details regarding the nuclear issue are not currently being discussed [2].
Reports on the draft's specific structure vary. Some accounts indicate that the nuclear issue remains entirely excluded from the text [2]. However, other reports suggest a sequenced approach where the Hormuz Strait would be opened first, followed by concrete nuclear negotiations lasting 60 days [2].
This disagreement persists despite the urgency of the conflict, which began on Feb. 28, 2024 [2]. The U.S. position remains consistent in demanding that nuclear concessions be a prerequisite for a formal peace deal [3].
“The nuclear issue is not included in the current agreement draft”
The tension between the U.S. and Iran reflects a strategic divide: the U.S. views the cease-fire as leverage to secure long-term nuclear constraints, while Iran views the cease-fire as a separate humanitarian and security necessity. The contradiction in reporting regarding a 60-day negotiation window suggests that while a framework for sequencing may exist, it has not yet been formally accepted by both parties.
