Still no US–Iran deal as Von der Leyen welcomes progress and Tehran rebukes the EU

Brussels – The back-and-forth between Iran and the United States shows no sign of stopping. “There’s no rush; time is on our side,” said US President Donald Trump, speaking about the agreement with the Islamic Republic. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio seems more optimistic: “An agreement with Tehran is possible as early as today (25 May),” he said. The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Minister, Esmaeil Baqaei, stated that the two countries have reached “a broad agreement”, but its signing “is not imminent”. According to a US official, the draft would provide for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the handover by Tehran of its stockpiles of enriched uranium.

 Esmaeil Baqaei, however, was much more cautious. This morning, during a press conference, he said that the main objective of the talks “remains the end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and that the possible memorandum of understanding does not include specific details on the management of the Strait of Hormuz.” The spokesperson stated that “the management of the Strait is a matter for the coastal states” and that “the current aim of the negotiations is to end the war, not the details of the nuclear issue.” 

Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X that she “welcomes the progress towards an agreement between the US and Iran. We need a deal that truly de-escalates the conflict, reopens the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees toll-free full freedom of navigation.” According to the President, Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. It must also end its destabilising actions in the region, directly or through proxies, as well as its unjustified and repeated attacks on its neighbours.” For this reason, she wrote, “Europe will continue working with international partners to seize this moment for a lasting diplomatic solution. And to contain the spillover of this conflict, notably on supply chains and energy prices.”

I welcome the progress towards an agreement between the US and Iran.

We need a deal that truly de-escalates the conflict, reopens the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees toll free full freedom of navigation.

Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

It must also end…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) 24 May 2026

During the press conference, Baquei addressed the European Union directly. Responding to a question about possible EU sanctions, the spokesperson stated that “any hostile action will be met with a reciprocal response from Iran. One cannot unilaterally impose illegal measures against a country without expecting a reaction.” If the EU “had adopted a responsible attitude towards international developments a long time ago,” he added, “perhaps some of the consequences that our region and the international community are facing today would not have occurred. Unfortunately, the European Union has been pursuing the wrong policies for a long time.” Baquei did not stop there. “If the Union were to adhere to the principles enshrined in its slogan, namely the rule of law and respect for the United Nations Charter, it would have had to sanction the United States and the Zionist regime,” he said. Europeans should “remember that the Strait of Hormuz was open before 29 March, and that this situation has arisen solely because of the aggression by the US and Israel against Iran,” he concluded. 

Rubio, on the other hand, stressed that President Donald Trump is in no hurry to reach an agreement and insisted that Washington would reject any deal deemed weak. “The president will not strike a bad deal,” he said. Washington will either reach a good agreement with Iran or address the issue “in another way,” Rubio added. The Secretary of State added that the slowdown in negotiations was due to Iran’s reaction and its decision-making processes.

The Iranian denial was not long in coming. Esmaeil Baqaei stated that “the frequent changes in position by American officials make any dialogue problematic.” Furthermore, Iran “will not yield to force or threats during talks with the United States,” and that US threats should not be taken seriously, because “time is no longer on Washington’s side,” he added.

 President Masoud Pezeshkian, on the other hand, sought to reassure the international community on the sidelines of a meeting with the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). According to the Tehran Times, Pezeshkian made it clear that the country “has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons.” Iran “does not want regional instability. It is Israel that is trying to destabilise the region,” he said. In any case, he reiterated that “Iranian negotiators will not compromise in any way on the dignity and honour of the country.”