Evening Briefing: Sunday 24 May 2026
- Details of the emerging US-Iran deal firmed up through the day. Two regional officials briefed on the negotiations said today the agreement includes a 60-day ceasefire extension during which the Strait of Hormuz reopens with no tolls and Iran clears the mines it laid; Iran would freely sell oil through sanctions waivers; and the US would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran would commit never to pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate the suspension of uranium enrichment and the removal of its highly enriched uranium stockpile during the 60-day window. But a senior Iranian source today denied Tehran had agreed to hand over its uranium — the central US demand — and an Iranian military spokesman said Iran will continue to control the Strait of Hormuz “even in the event of an agreement with the United States”.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today “significant progress, although not final progress, has been made” in the talks. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said: “We remain ready for talks, but the experience of past negotiations with the US forces us to exercise the utmost caution.” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on social media: Iran is “seeking peace with strength, pursuing diplomacy with dignity and firmly defending the territorial integrity, independence and rights of our beloved Iran”. The Sunday political shows in the UK led with the Labour leadership question, with the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg airing at 09:00.
- If a final agreement is reached, US forces that moved to the area in recent months to support the assault on Iran would withdraw. President Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday that he will not sign any final agreement without conditions that Iran dismantle its entire nuclear programme and remove all enriched uranium from the country. Brent eased to $102.30 at Friday’s close, ten-year gilts at 5.02%; markets re-open Monday with the “largely negotiated” framework as the dominant variable for European and Asian energy pricing.
US-Iran Deal Details — 60-Day Hormuz Reopening, Sanctions Waivers, Uranium Dispute
Two regional officials briefed on the Pakistan-led negotiations said today the United States is close to a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Un…
Iran Denies Uranium Handover; Military — “Iran Will Continue to Control” Strait
A senior Iranian source said today that Tehran has not agreed to hand over its uranium stockpile to the United States. An Iranian military spokesman stressed on X that Iran would continue to control the Strait of Hormuz even in the event o…
Rubio — “Significant Progress, Not Final”; Pezeshkian Urges “Utmost Caution”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a cooler tone today than the President had on Saturday night, saying: “Significant progress, although not final progress, has been made.” Rubio repeated the US position that Iran can never have a nucle…
Pakistan’s Sharif and Munir Push Iran Toward Deal in Tehran Visit
Iran today hosted Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who met with Iran’s political and military leadership and pushed for Tehran to agree to the proposed agreement. The Shari…
Iran “Stalling” to Normalise Hormuz Control; “Deal or Force” the Binary Choice
One of Iran’s primary negotiating objectives is to secure sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz — an objective more important to Tehran than fee revenue from merchant vessels. Iran is likely stalling and delaying the negotiations process p…
Sunday Political Shows — Leadership Question Dominates; Kuenssberg Airs 09:00
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg aired at 09:00 on BBC One, with the Labour leadership question the dominant frame across all the morning political shows today. The previous week’s edition was explicitly titled “Can Starmer Survive?”. The 18 J…
Burnham — “Great Resentment” About IHT; Care Levy to “Save NHS”
Andy Burnham used Friday’s Makerfield campaign launch to put the NHS firmly on the agenda. Burnham said: “There is a great resentment about inheritance tax — take that away and look at a care levy.” The Greater Manchester mayor said he tho…
“Operation Save Starmer” — Economy + Inflation Tailwinds; Bank Rates on Downward Path
Inside Downing Street, Starmer’s allies now believe they can “Keep Keir In”. New figures show the economy growing above expectations, inflation has slowed to 2.8% — the lowest level in over a year — and Rachel Reeves’s preferred environmen…
BBC Radio Manchester — Makerfield Candidates Series Underway
BBC Radio Manchester is running a series of interviews this week with candidates for the 18 June Makerfield by-election. Andy Burnham took questions from presenter Mike Sweeney and audience members on Wednesday; Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon a…