US-Iran Deal Remains in Limbo — Trump Withholds Approval, Lebanon Ceasefire Demand Complicates Talks

As of May 31, 2026, the tentative US-Iran MOU remains unsigned and unratified, with President Trump withholding his approval despite the framework being broadly agreed upon by negotiating teams. Key obstacles preventing final agreement include: (1) the exact fate of Iran's 440.9 kg stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium — the US wants it fully transferred out of Iran, while Iran seeks flexibility; (2) enrichment rights — whether Iran can retain any domestic enrichment capacity after the deal or must permanently zero it out; (3) the scope and pace of sanctions relief and the release of $100–150 billion in frozen Iranian assets; and (4) Iran's insistence that any ceasefire must include a simultaneous end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Trump faces domestic pressure from Republican hardliners and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who warns that any deal allowing Iran to retain enrichment infrastructure is unacceptable. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei continued to insist publicly that 'no final agreement' had been reached. The Carnegie Endowment noted that even if a deal is signed, fundamental questions about Iran's nuclear program — particularly the disposition of its highly enriched uranium stockpile and the long-term enrichment question — remain unresolved after 24 years of nuclear standoff, suggesting the post-deal architecture would need to be far more robust than the original JCPOA to prevent a fourth nuclear crisis.