US-Iran 60-Day Deadline Ends Without Agreement as Middle East Tensions Rise Again

The United States and Iran have yet to reach a concrete agreement, even though the 60-day period set for drafting a broader pact has ended.

The deadline stemmed from the Memorandum of Understanding signed by US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on June 17, following more than three months of intense clashes.

The interim agreement was intended to bring an end to hostilities and create the conditions for a final settlement that would end the conflict on several fronts.

The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the easing of certain financial restrictions on Iran, and the start of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program were among the memorandum’s main provisions.

However, clashes around the Strait of Hormuz resumed, while fresh military attacks were recorded in late June. On July 8, Trump announced that the Memorandum of Understanding had come to an end. With the 60-day period now expired, the prospect of a lasting agreement between Washington and Tehran continues to appear remote.

According to Trump, the US strategy toward Iran also includes economic pressure. Earlier this month, he said Washington was closely monitoring the situation in Iran at a time when the country was grappling with high inflation and a shortage of money.

Tehran, meanwhile, has shown no willingness to return immediately to the negotiating table. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that no decision had yet been made on whether talks with the US would resume. He also responded to Trump’s threat to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory once the US had completed its defeat of Iran, stressing that the strait could not be “conquered with a tweet.”

Although direct clashes between Iranian and US forces have stopped, the consequences of the conflict continue to be felt across the region. Iran-backed groups remain active. In Yemen, the military has stepped up operations against the Houthis, who have struck targets linked to maritime transport and US allies. In Lebanon, heavy Israeli airstrikes in recent days have reignited tensions despite the ceasefire reached in June.

The failure to reach a new agreement following the end of the 60-day deadline increases pressure on Washington and Tehran to find a diplomatic solution, while the possibility of another escalation in the Middle East remains high.