US-Iran War: Diplomatic efforts continue amid nuclear uranium dispute

Published May 25, 2026, 07:22 GMT Last updated 2 minutes ago Reading time: 5 minutes

International diplomatic efforts are continuing to reach an agreement between Washington and Tehran to end the US-Israeli war with Iran, as the US President spoke about the necessity for Tehran to hand over high-enriched uranium to his country or destroy it.

Trump said, via his account on the "Truth" platform: "Either the enriched uranium (nuclear dust!) must be immediately handed over to the United States to be transported there and destroyed, or – the preferred option – it must be destroyed in situ in cooperation and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, or at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Organization, or its equivalent, witnessing this process and event."

Internet Return

These developments come at a time when Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a decree to restore internet service in Iran, after it was cut off since the start of the US-Israeli war, according to local media reports on Monday.

Tasnim News Agency and Fars News Agency reported that "President Pezeshkian handed a decree to the Ministry of Communications to restore internet service to its pre-January state," while the Deputy Minister of Communications confirmed the receipt of the circular, considering that "this step represents a return of citizens' rights and an enhancement of public trust."

Iranian official media had announced earlier today that the meeting of the Special Committee for Cyberspace Regulation, chaired by Mohammad Reza Aref and attended by committee members, witnessed the approval of "important decisions regarding the state of the internet in the country," which will be referred after final approval by President Pezeshkian to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology for implementation.

Fars News Agency reported that the meeting approved, by a majority of 9 votes, the plan to reconnect international internet, before sending it to the Iranian President's office for final approval.

International internet service was suspended during the widespread protests that peaked in early January, and then completely cut off on February 28 with the start of the US-Israeli bombing campaign on Iran.

Since then, Iranians' access has been limited to platforms and websites belonging to the internal national network, amid wide restrictions on communication with the outside world.

Skip Most Read and Continue Reading

Most Read

Most Read End

Trump: Saudi normalization with Israel is a condition for an Iran deal

Skip Podcast and Continue Reading

Worth Attention

In-depth explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important changes around you and their impact on your life

Episodes

Podcast End

US President Donald Trump had previously said that Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries must normalize relations with Israel as part of efforts to reach an agreement with Iran.

Trump's statement comes at a time when efforts to end the war that broke out in late February have slowed down, amid declining prospects for a near agreement, after Tehran confirmed that negotiations had not yet reached the signing stage, while Trump stressed that he was "in no hurry" to conclude an agreement.

In a new development, Trump emphasized the necessity for several Arab and Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, to join the "Abraham Accords" signed in 2020..

Trump wrote in a lengthy social media post: "After all the work the United States has done to try to put this complex puzzle together, it must be mandatory for all these countries to sign the Abraham Accords, at least simultaneously."

He added that "the countries concerned are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (which is already a member), Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain (which is already a member)."

Trump indicated that he spoke on Saturday with the leaders of these countries regarding the efforts to end the war with Iran. Bahrain and the UAE had previously joined the accords, along with Morocco and Sudan.

Since April 8, the Iranian and American sides have adhered to a ceasefire, while diplomatic efforts continue to reach a settlement, amid ongoing tension in the Strait of Hormuz and US efforts to pressure Iranian ports.

Saudi Arabia had previously announced its adherence to its position supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as a condition for normalizing relations with Israel.

Ongoing Negotiations

Tehran said on Monday that it had reached an understanding with the United States on several issues, while an Iranian delegation is visiting Qatar to discuss points related to a potential agreement to end the war, according to Iranian media and a source in Doha.

This does not mean that an agreement between the Islamic Republic and Washington is imminent, according to Tehran, especially in light of the continued issuance of conflicting signals in this regard for two days, according to Iranian media and a source in Doha.

Diplomatic efforts have intensified in the last few hours, including a visit by the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, Asim Munir, the mediator in the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, to Iran, and then his departure with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China.

Spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Baghaei, stated during the weekly briefing on Monday regarding the talks with the United States, "It can be said that we have reached a conclusion on a large number of issues under discussion," but "it cannot be said that this means an agreement is imminent," accusing Washington of changing its positions.

Trump wrote on Monday via Truth Social that "the deal with Iran will either be a great and worthwhile deal, or there will be no deal."

He vowed to continue the US naval blockade on Iran "completely until an agreement is reached, ratified, and signed."

Israel Escalates Raids in Lebanon

The Israeli army announced on Monday that it had launched a wave of extensive airstrikes on several areas in Lebanon, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that Israel is "at war" with Hezbollah.

The army said the raids targeted Hezbollah sites, including targets in the Beqaa Valley region in eastern Lebanon, while Netanyahu called on the Israeli army to "apply more pressure," referring to the escalation of military operations.