TRUMP REWROTE THE DEAL HIS OWN TEAM NEGOTIATED

A finalised draft MOU was reportedly waiting on Trump's signature. After a Friday Situation Room meeting, he came out demanding changes: tighter terms on how and when Iran hands over its enriched uranium stockpile (roughly ten warheads' worth buried since the June 2025 strikes), and revised Hormuz language that strips Tehran of its proposed authority over commercial transit 2CRD Trump seeking last-minute changes to draft deal reached with Iran: Report 3AJE Trump tightens terms on Iran war deal, US media say 5TOI Trump said seeking changes to Iran deal, focused on fate of uranium stockpile. Iran's foreign ministry responded that nuclear issues aren't the current priority and the war must end first 10TTM Iran says no final agreement reached with US as indirect contacts continue. Parliament speaker Ghalibaf made Tehran's posture explicit: no commitments until there are tangible results 3AJE Trump tightens terms on Iran war deal, US media say. A senior US official's timeline for Iran's response was "a week. Could be less. Could be more" 2CRD Trump seeking last-minute changes to draft deal reached with Iran: Report.

The IRGC downed a US MQ-1 Predator over the Persian Gulf overnight Sunday 7MHR IRGC shoots down US MQ-1 drone in Iranian waters 8PTV IRGC shoots down intruding US MQ-1 Predator drone over Persian Gulf, and Iranian forces separately shot down an Orbiter drone over Qeshm Island on Saturday 8PTV IRGC shoots down intruding US MQ-1 Predator drone over Persian Gulf. No US denial has been reported. The MQ-1 is older hardware, but shooting down American drones during active ceasefire negotiations is a deliberate signal, and the IRGC is making it loudly. The timing, right as Trump is demanding Iran accept harder terms, is unlikely to be coincidental.

The IDF declared a "large-scale" ground offensive north of the Litani River, capturing Beaufort Castle and moving forces into the vicinity of Nabatieh, which the IDF called "one of Hezbollah's principal strongholds" 6AAM Israeli army announces 'large-scale' offensive in southern Lebanon. Defense Minister Katz said Israeli troops will remain at Beaufort "as part of the security zone in Lebanon," making clear this is occupation, not a raid 4TOI Soldier killed in Hezbollah drone strike in Lebanon; IDF captures strategic Beaufort Castle. One Israeli soldier was killed in a Hezbollah drone strike during the operation 4TOI Soldier killed in Hezbollah drone strike in Lebanon; IDF captures strategic Beaufort Castle. France called an emergency UN Security Council session and its foreign minister called the campaign "a major mistake for Israel" 1BBC Israel seizes castle in Lebanon as it expands ground offensive. The US veto makes binding action unlikely, but France has moved from private pressure to public multilateral challenge.

Israel Hayom, citing three unnamed diplomatic and intelligence sources, reports the US Navy has been quietly escorting dozens of Qatari oil and LNG tankers through Hormuz after Iran approved the passages and in some cases received payment 5TOI Trump said seeking changes to Iran deal, focused on fate of uranium stockpile. Single-source, so treat accordingly. But if accurate, selective bilateral arrangements are already bypassing the official blockade, which would explain why oil markets have been falling despite no signed deal. It also sets up a direct conflict with Iran's draft framework, which gives Tehran exclusive authority over exactly this kind of transit clearance 9AAM Iranian state media reports details of draft informal Iran-US agreement.

Iran's negotiating team says the most contested issue in recent Qatar talks was not uranium but guarantees that unfrozen assets won't be refrozen by a future US executive order 9AAM Iranian state media reports details of draft informal Iran-US agreement. Tehran is also demanding immediate access to $12 billion. Washington has not publicly addressed either condition. Iran's draft framework would also give Tehran the right to require cargo manifests, ownership records, and destination data from all Hormuz transiting vessels 9AAM Iranian state media reports details of draft informal Iran-US agreement. These are not footnotes. They are the terms Iran actually cares about, and they sit mostly outside the frame of what Trump has been talking about publicly.