There is a “50-50” chance that the United States and Iran could reach an agreement by Friday, according to a senior Gulf official familiar with the negotiations, despite President Donald Trump suggesting that a deal may be close.
The Gulf source told CNN that the Iranian delegation taking part in the discussions does not include representatives of the hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), whose approval would reportedly be required for the details of any interim agreement.
Trump has said that U.S. officials are engaged in “very good talks” with their Iranian counterparts, while simultaneously repeating threats to strike Iran “very hard” if Iranian officials once again withdraw from a potential agreement.
In separate remarks, Trump also suggested that an arrangement concerning the Strait of Hormuz could potentially be reached as soon as Wednesday.
Iran, however, has so far denied that the ongoing peace efforts involve direct communication with Washington. Tehran has maintained that its officials are negotiating only with Oman over issues related to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway has become a key pressure point in the negotiations. Iranian officials and diplomats have indicated that resolving the dispute over access through the strait could help revive broader discussions between Tehran and Washington.
The uncertainty over the negotiations reflects the wider gap between the optimistic signals coming from Washington and the more cautious position publicly maintained by Tehran.
With the Friday deadline approaching, the prospect of an agreement remains uncertain, with regional officials cautioning that significant political and security obstacles still need to be overcome.
