US Agrees To Temporary Iran Oil Sanctions Waiver During Talks: Report

The United States has reportedly agreed to temporarily ease sanctions on Iran’s oil sector during the ongoing negotiation process, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported on May 18, citing a source familiar with the Iranian negotiating team.

According to the source, Iran has maintained that the complete removal of all sanctions must be included in any final agreement with Washington. Meanwhile, the US side has reportedly proposed temporary sanctions waivers until a broader and more permanent understanding is reached.

Iran on May 18 submitted a fresh peace proposal to the United States aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia, with Pakistan acting as a mediator.

Speaking at a press briefing on May 18, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s response to the latest US proposal had been conveyed to Washington through Pakistan, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.

A Pakistani source quoted by Reuters said the proposal consists of 14 points and was delivered to the US through backchannel diplomacy. “We don’t have much time,” the source reportedly said, underlining the urgency of the negotiations.

The development came a day after Donald Trump appeared to issue a veiled warning amid rising tensions in the Middle East. On May 17, Trump shared an AI-generated image on social media carrying the message, “It was the calm before the storm,” sparking speculation about possible military escalation involving Iran.

The image depicted Trump wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap alongside a US Navy admiral aboard a naval vessel amid stormy seas and lightning strikes, while Iranian ships appeared in the background. The imagery was widely interpreted as a symbolic warning directed at Tehran during an increasingly fragile regional situation.

The post also coincided with reports suggesting the Trump administration was weighing major decisions on Iran policy. According to The New York Times, Trump and his advisers were discussing contingency plans for renewed air strikes on Iran if diplomatic efforts collapse.