Trump signals Iran framework deal near; GOP senators wary of nuclear gap
President Trump said Sunday the U.S. and Iran are close to a framework agreement aimed at de-escalation, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Republican senators including Cruz, Wicker and Graham raised concerns the deal does not adequately constrain Iran's nuclear program.
WASHINGTON — President Trump said Sunday that the United States and Iran are close to a framework agreement aimed at de-escalating the months-long conflict, though senior Republican senators expressed skepticism about Tehran's regional posture and continued nuclear ambitions.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had spoken Saturday with leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Bahrain and Pakistan about what he described as a memorandum of understanding "pertaining to peace." He held a separate call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Final terms have not been announced, but Trump said one component is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's foreign ministry confirmed that a memorandum is on the table and described its purpose as ending the war on all fronts. Tehran reiterated, however, that it will not enter discussions about its nuclear program.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from New Delhi, called the framework "significant progress" and signaled additional information could be released in the coming days.
Not all Republicans were reassured. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, all of whom backed the U.S. military strike on Iran, raised concerns that the proposed memorandum does not adequately constrain Tehran's nuclear program or its capacity to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and pressure neighboring states.
The Iran crisis has now stretched past 12 weeks, and polling consistently shows a majority of Americans opposed to the conflict, including a meaningful share of Trump's own base. Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, energy analysts have said it will take time for U.S. gasoline prices to retreat to pre-crisis levels.
With midterm elections approaching in November, the political stakes are sharpening. Democrats currently lead on the congressional generic ballot, a question pollsters use to gauge which party voters prefer to control Congress, and Republican strategists view a credible Iran de-escalation as one of the few near-term levers to shift that dynamic.