Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that an agreement with the United States was "closer than ever," which Axios interpreted as the strongest public signal yet that Tehran is prepared to accept a U.S.-led proposal to extend a ceasefire and begin broader negotiations.

Minister Araghchi stated that speculation about negotiations should be avoided until the agreement is finalized, and that details would be released once the deal is complete, Axios reported.

These remarks came a day after President Donald Trump announced he had called off plans for a military strike against Iran because negotiations were progressing and an agreement was imminent.

Axios reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiating teams are working on signing a Memorandum of Understanding that would include resuming merchant ship passage in the Strait of Hormuz, extending the ceasefire by 60 days, and establishing a framework for talks related to Iran's nuclear program.

According to Axios, the draft agreement would provide for the gradual lifting of sanctions on Iran, while the most difficult nuclear issues would be addressed in subsequent negotiations during the 60-day negotiation period.

One of the key unresolved issues is the matter of Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.

According to Newsmax, President Trump suggested last week that only the U.S. and China could remove Iran's enriched uranium and that it would ultimately have to be disposed of as part of a sustainable agreement.

President Trump asserted, "I will not allow Iran to have enriched uranium," arguing that Iran's nuclear material must be removed to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.

Reuters reported on Friday, the 12th, that under the proposed agreement, Iran would be required to dismantle key elements of its nuclear program, return or destroy its highly enriched uranium, and submit to a long-term inspection regime.

A senior U.S. official told Reuters that sanctions relief would be directly tied to Iran's compliance with the agreement.

According to Reuters, JD Vance, the Vice President, stated that frozen Iranian assets would not be released unless Tehran fulfills its obligations under the agreement first.

President Trump also pushed back on Iran's negotiation-related statements on Friday, saying that the terms of the agreement leaked by Tehran publicly were inaccurate.

Trump wrote on Truth Social, "The terms that Iran has leaked to the Fake News media have absolutely no bearing on the terms that were agreed upon in writing. Everything they said, including their pathetic and ludicrous statement that an agreement has been reached, is not true. They are truly dishonorable people to deal with. There are no negotiations in good faith with them. It's absurd!"

He added, "Also, their drone attack last night targeting Indian ships as they were leaving the Strait of Hormuz, which was completely thwarted, is unacceptable. They need to get their act together, and fast!"

Indeed, Araghchi's post on X, cited by President Trump on Friday morning, stated, "The signing of the 'Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding' is closer than ever," and urged, "Until a final agreement is reached, the media is requested to refrain from speculative reporting on its content."

Araghchi added, "In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be disclosed to the public at the appropriate time."

Reuters reported that President Trump added that any economic benefits provided to Iran would be strictly contingent on verification of the agreement's implementation.

Reuters reported that while Iranian officials described the draft agreement as requiring only relatively minor concessions from Tehran, U.S. officials asserted that the framework would achieve President Trump's core objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

A senior U.S. official told Reuters that both sides were very close to an agreement and that a signing ceremony could take place within days if the remaining issues were resolved.

Axios reported that Pakistan and Qatar played key mediating roles in negotiations aimed at ending the three-month-long conflict, resuming maritime transport in the Strait of Hormuz, and exploring a more comprehensive resolution.

According to Axios, if this agreement is finalized, it is expected to be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the outbreak of the conflict between the two countries.

U.S. NNP=Reporter Hong Seong-gu / Special contribution by this newspaper NNP info@newsandpost.com