Iran accused the United States of retreating from previously reached understandings on a potential nuclear deal, upending hopes for an agreement that had been expected by May 26. The accusation came shortly after former President Donald Trump claimed the deal was 'largely negotiated,' a statement that appeared to contradict Tehran's position.
Tehran's Charge
Iranian officials said Washington walked back key points that both sides had tentatively settled in earlier rounds of indirect talks. The accusation was made without providing specific details on which understandings were abandoned. But the language was blunt: Iran described the US position as a retreat, not a negotiation.
The collapse of the May 26 deadline means months of diplomatic work have stalled. Negotiators from both sides had been working through intermediaries to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which the US left in 2018 under Trump. Iran has since expanded its nuclear program beyond agreed limits.
Trump's Claim
Trump's assertion that the deal was 'largely negotiated' came just before Iran's accusation. The former president has repeatedly said he could quickly strike a new deal with Iran if he were in office. His claim, however, does not align with Tehran's view that the US is now pulling back.
It is unclear whether Trump was referring to the same talks that collapsed or to a separate understanding he says he achieved before leaving office. Iran has not acknowledged any agreement with Trump's administration.
What Killed the Deal
The May 26 target date was set by European mediators who hoped to finalize a return to the 2015 accord. But the talks faced repeated obstacles, including disputes over sanctions relief, nuclear enrichment levels, and the removal of Iran's Revolutionary Guard from a US terror list. Iran's accusation suggests that the US made last-minute demands or refused to finalize prior compromises.
Neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly detailed the specific sticking points. But the collapse leaves the region without a diplomatic framework to limit Iran's nuclear activity. The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium continues to grow.
What happens next is uncertain. European mediators are pressing both sides to return to the table, but no new deadline has been set. The US has not responded formally to Iran's accusation, and Tehran has not said whether it will resume talks.
