Hardline factions inside Iran’s government are trying to derail a potential ceasefire agreement with the United States, The Telegraph reported, as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz face growing pressure from both Tehran’s internal politics and Washington’s nuclear red lines.

The report comes as Iran’s ultra-hardliners have openly attacked the country’s negotiators over talks with the United States, accusing them of being too willing to compromise on issues they view as non-negotiable. The Financial Times reported that members of Iran’s Paydari faction have sharply criticized the negotiating team and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warning against concessions on control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief.

The internal pressure has raised new questions about whether Iran’s leadership can deliver on any agreement even if negotiators reach a framework with Washington. Hardliners have demanded sweeping terms, including full sanctions removal, compensation from the United States and strict limits on any U.S. military role in the region, according to the Financial Times.

The conflict over the negotiations became more visible after Iranian state television claimed Wednesday that it had obtained a draft U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that would reopen commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the purported framework, the United States would withdraw forces from Iran’s vicinity and lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran would restore commercial shipping through Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month.

The White House rejected the Iranian state media report, calling the alleged document a fabrication and warning that “nobody should believe what Iranian state media is putting out.” The denial underscored how fragile the talks remain, with both sides seeking to control the public narrative before any agreement is finalized.

At the center of the dispute is the same deadlock that has defined the talks from the beginning: Iran says it will not give up its nuclear program or surrender its enriched uranium, while the United States says Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s top negotiator, Ghalibaf, said last week that Tehran would not compromise in talks with Washington, accusing the United States of dishonesty and warning that any renewed U.S. military action would trigger a harsher Iranian response. Iran has also stressed that its enriched uranium reserves and military capabilities remain central issues in the negotiations.

President Donald Trump has publicly suggested that Iran wants a deal but is negotiating from a weakened position. He said Iran is “negotiating on fumes” and warned that if diplomacy fails, the United States may have to “finish the job.” Trump has also insisted that any agreement must prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The talks have been complicated further by recent U.S. military strikes on Iranian targets in southern Iran. The United States described the strikes as defensive, while Tehran condemned them as a violation of the ceasefire. Despite the strikes, Iran has remained in negotiations, with talks mediated by Pakistan and Qatar focused on reopening Hormuz, extending the ceasefire and addressing frozen Iranian assets.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the negotiations could take several more days, while China has urged both sides to “meet each other halfway” and remain committed to a ceasefire.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)