Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, May 29: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that Washington and Tehran may be moving closer towards a possible diplomatic agreement after weeks of tense negotiations centred on regional security, energy stability and nuclear restrictions.
Speaking on the ongoing discussions, Bessent said there were now the “makings of a deal” between the two sides, marking the first major indication of progress since the conflict escalated nearly three months ago, according to media reports.
“We perhaps have the makings of a deal here,” Bessent stated, while cautioning that the final outcome would depend on US President Donald Trump.
“Everything depends on what the president wants to do, and President Trump is not going to make a bad deal,” he said.
Bessent outlined Washington’s primary demands, which include Iran disposing of its highly enriched uranium stockpile, formally committing to never pursue nuclear weapons, and reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a crucial maritime trade route that has remained largely paralysed since the conflict began.
The Treasury Secretary described the negotiations as historically significant, claiming that previous US administrations had failed to bring Iran to the table on the issue of permanently abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
“This administration, President Trump, has done something that no other administration was able to do,” Bessent remarked.
“We have gotten the Iranians to talk about their nuclear programme and perhaps commit to not having one. That has never happened before. It had been off the table,” he added.
Bessent further credited Washington’s economic pressure and recent military actions for pushing Tehran towards negotiations.
“When you look at the results of the kinetic action of our economic pressure, it has worked to bring them to the table and have a discussion on this,” he said.
According to Bessent, any potential agreement would ultimately hinge on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, surrendering its stockpile of enriched uranium and fully abandoning its nuclear ambitions.