US-Iran Nuclear Deal: Trump Says 'Time for Iran to Make a Deal'; Hormuz Still Closed Week 15; VP Vance — Unclear if or When Trump Signs

June 3, 2026 — President Trump issued a public statement declaring it was 'time — one way or another — for Iran to make a deal,' signaling continuing US pressure on Tehran while the tentative 60-day MOU framework (confirmed by CNN May 28) remained unsigned. Vice President Vance separately told reporters that it was 'hard to say exactly when or if the president's going to sign' — the clearest public acknowledgement of the deal's uncertain status. US negotiators (Witkoff, Vance, Kushner) and their Iranian counterparts continued working-level engagement through Pakistan's General Asim Munir as back-channel intermediary. Iran's foreign ministry maintained its position that the tentative framework was 'the basis' for any agreement, while Iranian state media (Fars News) disputed specific provisions of the leaked text, saying certain clauses 'don't exist' in Tehran's version. The Strait of Hormuz entered its 15th week of closure: approximately 750 vessels remained trapped, approximately $6 billion per month in Iranian oil export revenue blocked, US gasoline prices holding at $4.48-4.50/gallon. The IAEA's May 31 report documenting Iran's record military-grade HEU stockpile continued to create dual pressure — adding urgency to US demands for tighter HEU disposal provisions while simultaneously giving Iran's negotiating team domestic political leverage to show the enrichment program as a bargaining chip of value. Congressional opposition (52 senators, 177 House members) maintained its posture against any deal permitting enrichment, creating a domestic ratification constraint that Trump's team continued to navigate. Oil markets remained in high-volatility mode with Brent crude $78-82/bbl pending deal confirmation.