60-Day Deadline Ended: What Now After Washington-Tehran Agreement Failure?

The 60-day window set for reaching a comprehensive agreement between the United States and Iran ended at midnight on Sunday, without any significant progress toward a final settlement that would end the war and establish a framework to address contentious issues, foremost among them Iran's nuclear program.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17, with key mediation from Pakistan, aimed at halting combat operations and paving the way for a final deal within 60 days.

The interim agreement followed more than three months of devastating fighting that disrupted trade across the Gulf, particularly oil and gas exports, and included provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing some financial sanctions imposed on Iran, and establishing a framework for future negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

However, the agreement quickly ran into crisis due to disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, before military strikes resumed at the end of June.

On July 8, Trump announced that the memorandum of understanding was "expired".

With ongoing tensions and no lasting resolution in sight, Washington faces the risk of becoming entangled in a long-term war, as U.S. military stockpiles decline, according to CNN.

Trump also emphasized that economic pressure on Iran remains a core component of America's current strategy.

In contrast, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran had made no decision regarding resuming talks with the United States.

CNN reported that U.S.-Iran relations have entered a more uncertain phase following the expiration of the 60-day period without an agreement, amid continued economic and military pressures and escalating disagreements over the future of negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran's nuclear program.