Foreign Media Reveals Progress in US-Iran Negotiations: Persistent Differences but Limited Breakthrough, Trump's Patience Under Pressure

May 18 — Multiple media reports indicate that U.S.-Iranian negotiations on key issues remain at an impasse, with the two sides still holding significant differences over core matters including the nuclear program, terms for ending hostilities, and unfreezing Tehran’s frozen assets, though limited adjustments have been made to some technical arrangements. Sources say the U.S., in its latest proposal, has offered to permit Iran to conduct restricted peaceful nuclear activities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision and is considering phased unfreezing roughly a quarter of Iran’s frozen offshore assets. For its part, Iran is insisting on full sanctions removal and the return of all related assets, while opposing any linkage between the nuclear issue and ceasefire conditions. In terms of the negotiation framework, Iran has put forward a plan to accept a long-term freeze of its nuclear program but has rejected complete dismantlement; Tehran also proposes transferring some enriched uranium to a third country such as Russia, gradually resuming navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and creating a regional third-party coordination mechanism. Iran further advocates for replacing war reparations arrangements with economic facilitation measures. U.S. officials’ window to reach a deal is narrowing rapidly, sources note, with Iran having just "a few days, not weeks" to submit a viable counterproposal. If Iran misses this timeline, the possibility of the U.S. shifting to a military option cannot be ruled out, marking the current round of negotiations has entered a critical make-or-break stage.