The race to secure a landmark US-Iran peace agreement has entered a critical phase, with US President Donald Trump claiming that a breakthrough could be just around the corner. Trump has announced that fresh negotiations with Iran are set to begin on Monday, expressing confidence that both sides are moving closer to a historic agreement. However, Tehran has made it clear that any final deal depends on Washington first honouring the existing peace memorandum of understanding. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stressed that the country's priority is ensuring the United States fulfils its commitments before any new agreement is signed, underlining the trust deficit that continues to shadow negotiations. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has revealed that Iran-Oman discussions on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages. WATCH

The US has escalated maritime pressure on Iran after its forces reportedly struck and disabled the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman, marking another major development in the widening confrontation over Tehran's ports and the Strait of Hormuz. US forces reportedly targeted the vessel's engine room after the crew allegedly failed to comply with repeated warnings linked to the Iranian port blockade. No immediate casualties were reported following the strike, but the incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping across one of the world's most strategically important maritime regions.