US President Donald Trump has sent back changes to the proposed deal with Iran after a meeting with advisers on Friday, CNN quoted officials as saying, extending the back-and-forth negotiations into another week.
The exact changes Trump requested weren’t immediately clear, but officials said the President has insisted on tougher language surrounding Iran’s nuclear commitments and its pledge to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the report said.
US allies in the Gulf have been briefed on the discussions. One foreign official familiar with the matter told CNN the changes aren’t substantive and mostly center on a US desire for assurances on those issues.
Trump has also voiced concern at what financial relief might be provided for Iran as part of the deal, wary of comparisons to the “pallets of cash” that were delivered under the Obama-era nuclear deal he derides as weak.
One US official told CNN more military strikes are unlikely with a deal close, and regional allies do not want combat operations to resume.