Trump Says No Rush on Iran Deal as U.S. Blockade Remains in Force

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday, 24 May 2026, that he had instructed his representatives not to rush into any agreement with Iran, tempering expectations of an imminent breakthrough in the three‑month‑old conflict.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed,” adding: “Both sides must take their time and get it right.”

There was no immediate response from Iran’s government, but the semi‑official Tasnim News Agency, linked to the Revolutionary Guards, reported that Washington was still obstructing parts of a potential deal, including Tehran’s demand for the release of frozen funds.

The remarks came a day after Trump said the two sides had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that previously carried one‑fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Despite progress, the U.S. and Iran remain divided on several contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, Israel’s war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, and Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions and the release of tens of billions of dollars in frozen oil revenues.