Iran-U.S. diplomacy intensifies as Trump seeks ‘right answers,’ Tehran signals gaps ‘reduced’

Iran warIran-U.S. diplomacy intensifies as Trump seeks ‘right answers,’ Tehran signals gaps ‘reduced’ A visit by Pakistan’s army chief Thursday was aimed at “reaching the point of officially announcing acceptance of the memorandum of understanding,” Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleVance says U.S. has been 'as clear as possible' with Iran during negotiations03:01Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 21, 2026, 5:52 AM EDTBy Chantal Da SilvaA new burst of diplomatic action intensified Thursday in a push to break the deadlock between the United States and Iran. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Tehran was responding to Washington’s latest proposal, which had “reduced the gaps to some extent” between the two sides, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported early Thursday. It said that a visit by Pakistan’s army chief was “aimed at reducing these gaps and reaching the point of officially announcing acceptance of the memorandum of understanding.”The report, which did not disclose any sourcing, came after President Donald Trump said that efforts to finally reach a deal to end the war could take a few days — though he also again threatened renewed military action.Iran has maintained a hardline stance in talks with the U.S.AFP via Getty ImagesTrump said Wednesday that if the U.S. did not “get the right answers,” it was “all ready to go.” Asked how long he would wait, Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, “it could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”He said in separate comments that negotiations with Tehran were in their “final stages” but that things could get “a little bit nasty” if an agreement isn’t reached.Weeks of negotiations amid the ceasefire have centered on a deal that could curb Iran’s nuclear program and restore shipping traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz trade rou...