Donald Trump has sent the proposed agreement with Iran back with tougher conditions, abruptly reversing expectations of an imminent deal after a White House Situation Room meeting on Friday. The revised draft, now under review in Tehran, demands more stringent language on Iran's nuclear commitments and an ironclad timeline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil waterway closed since the outbreak of hostilities in late February. This marks the third cycle of edits, as the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, travels to Pakistan to explore mediation tracks, underscoring the stubborn gap between the two sides.

Viewed from Washington, the president's intervention reflects a deep-seated determination to craft a deal that bears no resemblance to the Obama-era nuclear pact he has repeatedly scorned. Trump has privately expressed alarm over the scale of financial relief that could flow to Iran, including the release of frozen oil revenues, with aides noting his fear of any comparison to the 'pallets of cash' he claims were handed over under his predecessor. Publicly, he insists Tehran has already accepted a blanket prohibition on developing or acquiring nuclear weapons, though Iranian officials have not confirmed such a sweeping concession.

Inside Iran, the mood is markedly different. Chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has declared that no agreement will be finalised unless Iranian sovereign rights are 'fully secured', a stance amplified by hardline media close to the Revolutionary Guards. Tehran is reportedly preparing its own counter-modifications, likely to include an unequivocal end to sanctions and a guaranteed timeline for Hormuz's reopening. The labyrinthine decision-making structure, where any major concession must be blessed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, adds layers of complexity and delays.

European analysts and diplomats note that each cycle of revision risks pushing a fragile ceasefire closer to collapse. While the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked—normally handling a fifth of global oil supply—the world economy absorbs a steady economic shock. Trump, in a Fox News interview, sounded unhurried, saying, 'slowly but surely, I think we are going to get it done,' but in the bazaars of the Gulf and the trading floors of London, patience is wearing thin.

Without a breakthrough, the risk of renewed military confrontation looms. The president has previously threatened force if his objectives are not met, while Iran's leadership continues to frame its nuclear programme as a sovereign right. The next days, as the revised proposal wends its way through Iran's opaque approval process, will reveal whether diplomacy can still bridge an abyss.