President Donald Trump called Iran "very good negotiators" even as Vice President JD Vance confirmed nuclear enrichment remains the key sticking point in an emerging deal expected to be announced soon.
"They're very good negotiators, they're crafty, but in the end we have all the cards because we've defeated them militarily," Trump told Fox News host Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, in an interview set to air Saturday night on "My View," according to The Hill report.
President Trump announced Saturday the deal was "largely negotiated" and expected soon. The proposed memorandum of understanding would extend the current ceasefire by 60 days, restore unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and open a formal window for nuclear talks.
Enrichment The Sticking Point
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Vance said Saturday both sides are still working through "a couple of language points," with Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile and future enrichment rules among the unresolved issues.
Earlier, Iran had reportedly agreed to relinquish its highly enriched uranium stockpile as a key condition of the deal. Prediction markets reflect the skepticism. Polymarket gave only a 22% probability of the U.S. gaining custody of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile this year.
Gulf Tensions Hold
U.S. forces launched "defensive strikes" on Iranian missile sites and mine-laying vessels this week. Iran retaliated, targeting Kuwait with ballistic missiles that were intercepted, U.S. Central Command said on Thursday.
Neither Trump nor Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei have signed the tentative agreement.
The Hill reported Trump drew a clear red line in the Fox News interview, saying a deal unfavorable to U.S. interests would trigger renewed military action. "A deal that wasn't going to be good for us is the line."
Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi warned Thursday that prolonged Hormuz disruptions could push recession risks higher, saying the economy "isn't just soft, it's struggling."
