{"id":1145,"date":"2026-05-26T08:40:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T08:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/05\/26\/end-in-sight-hormuz-nukes-at-the-heart-of-us-iran-sticking-points\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T08:40:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T08:40:52","slug":"end-in-sight-hormuz-nukes-at-the-heart-of-us-iran-sticking-points","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=1145","title":{"rendered":"End in sight? Hormuz, nukes at the heart of US-Iran sticking points"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"t-content t-content--edition\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">End in sight? Hormuz, nukes at the heart of US-Iran sticking points<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-video-player o-video-player--16x9 t-content__main-media\" data-media-video-78a2c5bd-6ca9-46be-9386-5c080f56b2f3 data-show-hidden-video-player=\"78A2C5BD-6CA9-46BE-9386-5C080F56B2F3\" data-wrapper-video-player data-autoplay-video-link data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"78A2C5BD-6CA9-46BE-9386-5C080F56B2F3\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/9b4e8846-58dd-11f1-88af-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/capture-9688637766a155ae7b8fc94-24644872.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/9b4e8846-58dd-11f1-88af-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:16x9\/capture-9688637766a155ae7b8fc94-24644872.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/9b4e8846-58dd-11f1-88af-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/p:16x9\/capture-9688637766a155ae7b8fc94-24644872.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/9b4e8846-58dd-11f1-88af-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/capture-9688637766a155ae7b8fc94-24644872.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"THE DEBATE\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                <span>THE DEBATE<\/span>                <span>\u00a9  FRANCE 24<\/span>            <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"End in sight? Hormuz, nukes at the heart of US-Iran sticking points: Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><br \/>\n<time class=\"a-media-time\">42:37<\/time>                <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-05-26T08:37:01+00:00\">26\/05\/2026 &#8211; 10:37<\/time><\/span><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Modified: <time datetime=\"2026-05-26T08:39:35+00:00\">26\/05\/2026 &#8211; 10:39<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__video-duration\">\n<p>                            42:37 min\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__page-cta\">\n<div class=\"a-audio-player-btn a-audio-player-btn--skeleton a-audio-player-btn--cta\" data-root-audio-player-button data-short-lived-vue-app data-site-nav-close>\n<p>                <span class=\"a-audio-player-btn__label\">Play (42:41 min) <\/span><\/p>\n<p>                                            <span class=\"a-svg a-svg--icon-audio\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p>                <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/tv-shows\/debate\/\" class=\"t-content__program m-program\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-program__label\">From the show<\/div>\n<p>    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/18d565da-0f3c-11ee-a3bf-005056bfb2b6\/EN-the-debate.svg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/18d565da-0f3c-11ee-a3bf-005056bfb2b6\/EN-the-debate.svg\" alt=\"The Debate\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img  a-img--svg\"><\/p>\n<p>                    <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"t-content__reading-time a-reading-time\">\n<p>                        <span class=\"t-content__reading-time__label\">Reading time<\/span><br \/>\n                        1 min<\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                                Three months into what was originally billed as four-week war, is an end really in sight?\u00a0Donald Trump&#8217;s messaging on bargaining with Iran was enough to push Brent crude oil below $100 a barrel for the first time in two weeks. Both Washington and Tehran are managing expectations of a final deal or &#8220;memorandum of understanding&#8221;.                    <\/p>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p>Time is not on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Trump<\/a>&#8216;s side, what with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/world-cup-2026\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">World Cup<\/a>\u00a0to host in less than three weeks and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/inflation\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">inflation<\/a> that&#8217;s fast erasing the sweetener of tax breaks for voters ahead of the November midterm elections. But if inflation&#8217;s bad in the US, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Iran<\/a> has economic ruin to contend with. So again, who blinks first?<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260525-possible-iran-us-deal-what-we-know\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Possible Iran-US deal: What we know about the key issues on both sides<\/a><\/p>\n<p>And how do regional players align? Gulf states are divided between hawks \u2013 led by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/united-arab-emirates\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">United Arab Emirates<\/a>, who&#8217;ve drawn closer to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Israel<\/a> in this conflict \u2013 and doves, led by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/strait-of-hormuz\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Strait of Hormuz<\/a>&#8216;s other frontline state <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/oman\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Oman<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So which is it: a deal, a return to war or permanent state of limbo over the world&#8217;s biggest choke point for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/oil\/\" target=\"_self\">oil and gas<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p><em>Produced by Fran\u00e7ois Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Jean-Vincent Russo, Charles Wente.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors t-content__authors--multiple\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author m-author--small m-author--has-image\">\n<div class=\"m-author__image\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/3a004830-e086-11ee-af8f-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:1x1\/avatar-Fran%C3%A7ois_Picard.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/3a004830-e086-11ee-af8f-005056bf30b7\/w:177\/p:1x1\/avatar-Fran%C3%A7ois_Picard.jpg 177w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/3a004830-e086-11ee-af8f-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:1x1\/avatar-Fran%C3%A7ois_Picard.jpg 388w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 100px, 170px\" width=\"388\" height=\"388\" alt=\"Fran\u00e7ois Picard\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/francois-picard\/\" title=\"Fran\u00e7ois PICARD\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Fran\u00e7ois PICARD<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                Video by:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author m-author--small m-author--has-image\">\n<div class=\"m-author__image\">\n                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/rebecca-gnignati\/\" title=\"Rebecca GNIGNATI\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Rebecca GNIGNATI<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-author m-author--small m-author--has-image\">\n<div class=\"m-author__image\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/3a004830-e086-11ee-af8f-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:1x1\/avatar-Fran%C3%A7ois_Picard.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/3a004830-e086-11ee-af8f-005056bf30b7\/w:177\/p:1x1\/avatar-Fran%C3%A7ois_Picard.jpg 177w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/3a004830-e086-11ee-af8f-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:1x1\/avatar-Fran%C3%A7ois_Picard.jpg 388w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 100px, 170px\" width=\"388\" height=\"388\" alt=\"Fran\u00e7ois Picard\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/francois-picard\/\" title=\"Fran\u00e7ois PICARD\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Fran\u00e7ois PICARD<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-author m-author--small m-author--has-image\">\n<div class=\"m-author__image\">\n                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/charles-wente\/\" title=\"Charles WENTE\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Charles WENTE<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><br \/>\n                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Related keywords<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/oil\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Oil and gas industry\">    Oil and gas industry<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/usa\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"USA\">    USA<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israel\">    Israel<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Donald Trump\">    Donald Trump<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/strait-of-hormuz\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Strait of Hormuz\">    Strait of Hormuz<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/nuclear-iran\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"nuclear Iran\">    nuclear Iran<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>End in sight? Hormuz, nukes at the heart of US-Iran sticking points Middle East To&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1145"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1145\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}