Trump seeks last-minute changes to Iran deal

• Uranium transfer and Hormuz terms remain key issues
• New round of US-Iran negotiations underway
• White House willing to delay deal for tougher terms

US President Donald Trump has thrown a wrench into advanced diplomatic proceedings with Tehran, demanding significant revisions to a draft agreement negotiated by his own envoys, according to Axios citing US administration and White House officials.

The unexpected development has abruptly re-opened critical clauses of the document, sparking a fresh round of intense diplomatic back-and-forth between Washington and Tehran as both sides scramble to address the president's new mandates.

Enriched uranium, Hormuz: Sticking points

According to a US official speaking to Axios, Trump's intervention centers primarily on structural execution and precise legal language.

Specifically, the president wants explicit, granular details regarding the exact mechanism by which Washington will take possession of Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium.

Furthermore, Trump is seeking to amend specific phrasing in the draft concerning the formal reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has been under a tight maritime quarantine.

Officials emphasized that Trump remains completely unyielding on his core geopolitical "red lines." He has reportedly made it clear to his team that he will not sign any accord that falls short of permanently guaranteeing Iran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon.

White House seeking delay

Despite the sudden diplomatic friction, the broader consensus within the executive branch is that the overarching architecture of the deal remains intact.

"There will be an agreement with Iran," a US official stated confidently, though they acknowledged that the exact timing of the final signing is now entirely up in the air.

The White House has indicated it has no intention of rushing the process at the expense of the president's new directives.

A White House official stated that the administration is fully prepared to wait an additional week or more if necessary to ensure that Iran concedes to every one of Trump's latest demands.

Nonetheless, a sense of urgency remains among some pockets of the administration.

Another US official expressed hope that negotiators could iron out the new wrinkles and produce a finalized, signed framework by early next week.