Trump sends back revised Iran deal text; seeks ‘tougher language’ on nuclear provisions, Strait of Hormuz reopened

President of the United States Donald Trump Officials said the United States sent back changes to its proposed deal with Iran after reportedly meeting with advisers on Friday, extending talks for another week as the conflict with Iran continues. The conflict in Iran has been in a fragile ceasefire since April.Although the specific changes Trump requested are unclear, he has pushed for tougher language on Iran’s nuclear commitments and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported. He also expressed concern about the level of financial relief any deal might provide Tehran, wary of comparisons with what he previously described as the “pallet of cash” being transferred under the Obama-era nuclear deal.The latest round of changes comes a week after Trump said the deal was “pretty much a done deal” and said an end to hostilities was imminent. U.S. officials have since said progress was made toward a deal that would halt the fighting, reopen the strait and allow for further detailed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.However, the two-hour meeting ended without a decision, although Trump said he would make a “final decision” at Friday’s meeting and outlined some conditions on social media. In his message, Trump said the United States would seize and destroy Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, although Iran has said it will not discuss details of its nuclear program during current talks.Trump also said there had been no discussion of currency swaps as part of a deal, while Iran said financial provisions must be included in any deal. It remains unclear how those differences will be resolved as negotiations over the wording of the deal continue.Earlier, Axios also reported that Trump had sought changes to the proposed deal, including tougher language on reopening the Strait of Hormuz in a deal with Iran.Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no deal with the United States would be ratified until Tehran’s “rights” are guaranteed, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Iran’s Tasnim News Agency quoted him as saying: “Soldiers on the diplomatic battlefield do not believe the words and promises of the enemy. What is important to us is that we must achieve tangible achievements and in exchange we will fulfill our promises.”Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said the terms Trump outlined seemed acceptable on paper but could be difficult to implement, particularly with regard to the Strait of Hormuz.