Conflicting reports circulated on Friday over the status of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, with claims of a near-finalised deal rapidly contradicted by Iranian officials — even as President Donald Trump warned Iran that "something very drastic" will happen.
Al Arabiya English, citing unnamed sources, reported that "serious efforts are underway to finalise a draft agreement" between Tehran and Washington, adding that Pakistan's army chief may travel to Iran to announce the completion of a final draft.
The outlet also reported that subsequent negotiations would be held in Islamabad following the Hajj season — framing the diplomatic picture as one of imminent progress.
However, that optimism was swiftly punctured. An Iranian source close to the negotiating team told The Hormuz Letter that claims of a "final draft" agreement were outright false.
The talks, the source said, are in "permanent deadlock," driven by Washington's insistence on folding nuclear discussions into the broader framework — something Tehran has firmly resisted. Iran, the source added, has "no desire to even continue negotiations," and warned that "the conflict could start at any moment."
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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei reinforced that position, dismissing all reports of nuclear discussions as "merely media speculation.", The Hormuz Letter reported.
The contradictory signals emerge against an increasingly charged backdrop. Speaking from the White House on Thursday, Trump delivered a blunt ultimatum: "We're going to either make sure they don't have a nuclear weapon, or we're going to have to do something very drastic."
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The picture that emerges is one of deep uncertainty. While back-channel diplomacy may still be in motion — as Al Arabiya's report suggests — Iran's posture, as cited by The Hormuz Letter, signals a negotiation on the verge of collapse rather than resolution.
For now, a finalised deal remains firmly unconfirmed, with both sides offering sharply divergent accounts of where things stand.
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