{"id":126765,"date":"2026-05-06T15:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/?p=126765"},"modified":"2026-05-06T15:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:48:13","slug":"axios-white-house-on-brink-of-one-page-war-deal-as-48-hour-countdown-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/axios-white-house-on-brink-of-one-page-war-deal-as-48-hour-countdown-begins\/05\/06\/market-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"AXIOS: White House on Brink of One-Page War Deal as 48-Hour Countdown Begins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Closest yet:<\/strong> The White House believes it is approaching a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran \u2014 the closest the parties have been since the war began.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>48-hour window:<\/strong> The U.S. expects Iranian responses on several key points within the next 48 hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Witkoff and Kushner lead:<\/strong> Trump&#8217;s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are negotiating with Iranian officials directly and through mediators.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>30-day framework:<\/strong> The MOU would declare an end to the war and launch a 30-day window for detailed talks on Hormuz, Iran&#8217;s nuclear program, and sanctions relief.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Key trade-offs:<\/strong> Iran would commit to a nuclear enrichment moratorium; the U.S. would lift sanctions and release frozen Iranian funds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enrichment showdown:<\/strong> Iran proposed 5 years; the U.S. demanded 20 \u2014 sources say a 12-15 year moratorium is the likely landing zone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hormuz unwinds gradually:<\/strong> Both Iranian shipping restrictions and the U.S. naval blockade would be lifted incrementally over the 30-day period.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bombshell uranium clause:<\/strong> Two sources say Iran may agree to remove its highly enriched uranium \u2014 possibly to the U.S. \u2014 a key priority Tehran had previously rejected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Snap inspections:<\/strong> Iran would commit to enhanced UN inspections, including unannounced visits.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Underground ban floated:<\/strong> A clause is being discussed barring Iran from operating underground nuclear facilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rubio&#8217;s mixed message:<\/strong> The Secretary of State says complex talks won&#8217;t conclude in one day, but called some Iranian leaders &#8220;insane in the brain.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Risk of collapse:<\/strong> Many MOU terms are contingent on a final agreement, leaving the door open for renewed war or extended limbo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The White House believes it is closing in on an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and lay the groundwork for more detailed nuclear negotiations, according to two U.S. officials and two other sources briefed on the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Big Picture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The United States expects Iranian responses on several key points within the next 48 hours. Nothing has been formally agreed yet, but the sources said this represents the closest the two sides have come to an accord since the war began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among other provisions, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the U.S. agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of the terms outlined in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement ultimately being reached \u2014 leaving open the possibility of renewed war or an extended limbo in which the hot war has stopped but nothing is truly resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reality Check<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The White House believes the Iranian leadership is divided, and it may be difficult to forge consensus across the different factions. Some U.S. officials remain skeptical that even an initial deal will be reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>U.S. officials have expressed optimism about a deal at several points during previous rounds of negotiations and during the current war, yet have not reached one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, the two U.S. officials said President Trump&#8217;s decision to back off his newly announced operation in the Strait of Hormuz and avoid a collapse of the fragile ceasefire was based on the progress being made in the talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Behind the Scenes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The one-page, 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) is being negotiated between Trump&#8217;s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and several Iranian officials, both directly and through mediators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In its current form, the MOU would declare an end to the war in the region and the start of a 30-day period of negotiations on a detailed agreement to open the strait, limit Iran&#8217;s nuclear program, and lift U.S. sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those negotiations could take place in Islamabad or Geneva, two sources said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran&#8217;s restrictions on shipping through the strait and the U.S. naval blockade would be gradually lifted during that 30-day period, according to a U.S. official.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the negotiations collapse, U.S. forces would be able to reinstate the blockade or resume military action, the U.S. official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zoom In: The Enrichment Battleground<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The duration of the moratorium on uranium enrichment is being actively negotiated, with three sources saying it would last at least 12 years and one suggesting 15 as a likely landing spot. Iran proposed a 5-year moratorium on enrichment, while the U.S. demanded 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The U.S. wants to insert a provision whereby any Iranian violation on enrichment would prolong the moratorium, the source said. Iran would be permitted to enrich at the low level of 3.67% after it expires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran would commit in the MOU to never seek a nuclear weapon or conduct weaponization-related activities. According to a U.S. official, the parties are discussing a clause whereby Iran would commit not to operate underground nuclear facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran would also commit to an enhanced inspections regime, including snap inspections by UN inspectors, according to the U.S. official.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The U.S. would commit, as part of the MOU, to a gradual lifting of the sanctions imposed on Iran and the gradual release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds frozen around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Intrigue: Uranium Could Leave Iran<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Two sources with knowledge of the talks claimed Iran would agree to remove its highly enriched uranium from the country \u2014 a key U.S. priority that Tehran has rejected up to now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One source said an option being discussed is moving the material to the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What They&#8217;re Saying<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that &#8220;we don&#8217;t have to have the actual agreement written in one day.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This is highly complex and technical. But we have to have a diplomatic solution that is very clear on the topics they are willing to negotiate on and the extent of the concessions they are willing to make at the front end in order to make it worthwhile,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Rubio also called some of Iran&#8217;s top leaders &#8220;insane in the brain&#8221; and said it was unclear whether they would actually make a deal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Closest yet: The White House believes it is approaching a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran \u2014 the closest the parties have been since the war began. 48-hour window: The U.S. expects Iranian responses on several key points within the next 48 hours. Witkoff and Kushner lead: Trump&#8217;s envoys Steve Witkoff and &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":32800,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4707,6827,49,37,36],"tags":[6877,9927,7290],"class_list":["post-126765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-breaking-news","category-daily-economic-reports","category-economic-reports","category-forex-markets","category-market-updates","tag-dollar","tag-iranian-deal","tag-united-states"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126765"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":126766,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126765\/revisions\/126766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noortrends.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}