Kamal Ghorui
As the US and Iran edged towards what appeared to be a breakthrough after weeks of conflict in early April, a sudden burst of public messaging from Donald Trump may have thrown fragile diplomacy off course.According to CNN, optimism around a potential deal to end the seven-week war began to unravel after Trump publicly claimed that Tehran had already agreed to several key conditions, including curbs on its nuclear programme and the transfer of enriched uranium. Those assertions, however, had not been finalised, and Iranian officials quickly pushed back, denying that any such commitments had been made.
Also read: Iran’s big warning to US as ceasefire deadline loomsThe episode appears to have deepened mistrust at a critical moment. Sources familiar with the talks told CNN that Iranian negotiators were frustrated by what they saw as the US president attempting to negotiate “through social media”, particularly on sensitive issues not yet agreed upon. The concern, they said, was not only about substance but optics — with Tehran wary of appearing weak domestically.Privately, some US officials admitted to CNN that the president’s public commentary may have complicated negotiations at a delicate stage, especially given longstanding tensions and scepticism between the two sides.
Confusion, contradictions and a fragile ceasefire
The uncertainty has been compounded by mixed messaging from Washington. Trump repeatedly suggested a deal was imminent, telling multiple outlets that Iran had “agreed to everything” and that talks could conclude within days. Yet timelines shifted frequently, and even details, such as whether Vice President JD Vance would attend talks in Islamabad, were contradicted by his own officials.Meanwhile, events on the ground added further strain. A US naval seizure of an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman tested the already fragile ceasefire, prompting sharp criticism from Tehran. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of turning negotiations into a “surrender table” and warned that Iran was prepared to “show new cards on the battlefield” if fighting resumed.Despite the tensions, there are tentative signs that diplomacy has not collapsed entirely. By Monday, Iranian officials sounded more open to further talks, though no clear framework has emerged.
