Donald Trump is set to convene a full cabinet meeting on Tuesday as negotiations between the United States and Iran enter a critical stage. According to White House officials, the session will be the first full cabinet meeting chaired by Trump since late March and is expected to focus heavily on the ongoing diplomatic efforts with Tehran.
All cabinet members are expected to attend the meeting, including outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Reports suggest that the possibility of a broader US-Iran agreement will be one of the central topics discussed during the session.
At the same time, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf returned to Tehran after talks in Qatar, where he met Qatari officials to discuss progress in negotiations and broader regional developments. Iranian officials described the discussions as constructive but emphasized that Tehran still views Washington as an unreliable negotiating partner due to past disputes and broken commitments.
According to Iranian sources, one of the main goals of the Doha discussions was advancing efforts to secure the release of approximately $24 billion in Iranian overseas assets that remain frozen abroad. Tehran reportedly considers the issue a key condition for any future agreement.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to diplomacy during phone calls with the leaders of Egypt, Türkiye, Qatar, and Oman. He said Iran remains willing to reach what he described as an “honorable framework” to reduce tensions with the US and Israel while continuing technical negotiations toward a broader agreement.
However, disagreements remain. Iranian officials claim Washington previously stepped back from commitments related to the release of frozen assets, and Tehran insists no final agreement can be reached until those funds are transferred.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the US of continuing “illegal and provocative” actions at sea despite the ceasefire announced on April 8. Tehran alleged that American forces have repeatedly harassed Iranian commercial vessels, undermining diplomatic efforts that are being mediated by Pakistan.
The Strait of Hormuz has also emerged as a major focus of the negotiations. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said 25 commercial vessels safely passed through the waterway over the past 24 hours under IRGC naval protection and monitoring.
At the same time, the Food and Agriculture Organization warned that disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a broader global food security crisis by increasing energy and fertilizer costs worldwide.
US military officials also confirmed that the US Navy has quietly assisted some commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway, although Washington denied restarting its previously suspended military escort operation known as Project Freedom.