President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.
Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded "one way or the other."
Bessent does not say if there is a final agreement ready between the U.S. and Iran
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not commit to saying that a deal with Iran is currently on the table despite reports that the U.S. and Iran have reached an agreement but need President Donald Trump’s final approval.
Bessent said he wasn’t going to preview a peace deal and that the negotiators have been "going back and forth," during a press briefing Thursday.
Bessent suggested that "perhaps have the makings of a deal here" when it comes to an agreement with Iran.
-ABC News' Isabella Murray and Michelle Stoddart
1 hour and 18 minutes ago
Netanyahu says Israel aims to control 70% of Gaza Strip
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed Israel aims to control 70% of the Gaza Strip.
“We are currently squeezing Hamas; we now control 60% of the territory of the Strip — you know this. We were at 50[%], we moved to 60[%]. My directive is to move to ... First of all, 70[%]," Netanyahu said while speaking at an event Thursday.
"Let’s start with that. We’re pressing them from all sides; we’ll deal with the remnants," he said.
1 hour and 48 minutes ago
Ceasefire still in place despite CENTCOM's claims of violations
Despite U.S. Central Command's assertion of an "egregious ceasefire violation" overnight by Iran, the existing ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. remains in place, a U.S. source confirmed on Thursday.
The ceasefire, which has officially been in place since April 8, has not stopped both countries from periodically exchanging fire. The president has repeatedly asserted that the ceasefire remains in effect in spite of those exchanges, describing one such strike against Iran in early May as just a "love tap" to ABC News and denying that the ceasefire was over.
"No, no, the ceasefire is going. It's in effect," he said at the time.
Later that day, Trump said the world will know when the ceasefire is over when it sees "one big glow coming out of Iran."
-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr and Rachel Scott
2 hours and 58 minutes ago
Negotiators believe they have draft deal, but leaders haven't signed off
American and Iranian negotiators believe they have arrived at a draft agreement to formally extend the ceasefire and gradually open the Strait of Hormuz that can win the support of both countries, but President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei have not yet given their final stamps approval -- meaning there is no deal at this point, according to two U.S. officials and another source with knowledge of the negotiations.
Both Trump and Iranian leadership have rejected deals in the late stages of negotiations before. The U.S. officials also say the Trump administration is still concerned about the fractured Iranian regime’s ability to coalesce behind any agreement, but that high-level Iranian officials have indicated the regime can accept the terms that are currently on the table.
President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, May 27, 2026 in Washington.
Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images
U.S. sources also confirmed that U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a deal, but it still needs Trump’s final approval, which was first reported by Axios.
The U.S. officials confirm that the president has been briefed on the draft memorandum of understanding, and say it would see the Strait of Hormuz fully opened over the course of 60 days -- with Iran loosening its grip on the waterway and the U.S. pulling back its naval blockade in synchronized steps until the strait returns to its pre-war status quo.
