The US-Iran interim deal has stalled after Tehran said Washington must return to the agreement and establish a clear timeline for fulfilling its commitments.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday that mediators are discussing a possible US return to the arrangement. However, the source said the talks have made no progress.
The comments came after Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported that Iran and the United States had agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire under a memorandum of understanding. Tehran rejected that report and said no extension had been agreed.
Iran Demands US Return to Deal
The senior Iranian source said mediators were exploring ways to bring Washington back into the interim agreement.
However, Tehran wants the United States to provide a specific timetable for fulfilling its obligations. The Iranian source said negotiations had so far failed to produce any meaningful progress.
Iran maintains that the United States violated the agreement shortly after signing it. Therefore, Tehran rejects simply extending the ceasefire without first addressing what it considers breaches of the original arrangement.
Ceasefire Agreement Quickly Unravels
Iran and the United States signed the interim agreement in June. The arrangement called for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations across all fronts.
However, the agreement quickly came under pressure.
US President Donald Trump declared on July 7 that the agreement had ended. Since then, Iranian officials have repeatedly accused Washington of failing to honour its commitments.
The latest developments suggest that efforts to revive the arrangement remain challenging.
Tehran Rejects Ceasefire Extension
The Iranian source said there is currently no discussion about extending the ceasefire.
Tehran believes Washington abandoned the agreement only days after the two sides reached it. Iranian officials therefore want the United States to return to the original framework before discussing any extension.
Mediators now face the difficult task of bringing both sides back to negotiations while resolving their disagreements over the agreement’s terms.
Conflicting Reports Add to Uncertainty
The conflicting statements from Iranian officials and Anadolu have added further uncertainty to the future of the ceasefire.
For now, Tehran insists that Washington must first return to the US-Iran interim deal and clarify how it intends to meet its commitments.
Unless both sides resolve their differences, prospects for extending the ceasefire or restoring the broader agreement remain uncertain.
