For additional perspective on the latest developments, we turn now to two of our experts.

Alan Ayer worked in the State Department focusing on Iran and was a senior member of the Obama

administration's negotiating team for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. He's now at the Middle East Institute.

And Miam Maliki was born and raised in Iran until last year was Associate Director for Sanctioned Targeting in the U.S. Treasury Department with a focus on Iran. He's now a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Welcome back to you both. Thank you. You heard Nick lay out the outline there of what we believe is in this deal. Also, Mia, an Iranian official telling him that progress has been made. What's your assessment of how close the two sides are to a deal? Well, I think both sides really want to have a deal. That's very clear.

What I would say is the Iranian regime has never faced a level of pressure that they're facing

right now since 1979. So I would say they're way more desperate to get a deal than the U.S. side.

And I think on the U.S. side, I think there is a realization that this is a leverage that we have, that we haven't had since again since 1979.

This is a time to get a deal if you want to get a deal.

But then at the same time, what we're hearing is Iran trying to go back to the playbook of dragging out negotiations, you know, have the blockade lifted, and then get U.S.

engaged in negotiations that could go on forever, understanding that the U.S. administration

is probably unwilling to go back to another round of a strike.

Alan, what do you make of that?

I'm glad that both sides are at least

saying that they're going to negotiate. I think it is improbable that it will result in a

detailed, comprehensive agreement that both sides will abide by over time. But if it just gets

the straight of Hormuz open and prevents further hostilities,

that's probably the least bad option. So it's good that we've gotten this far, but

basically this one-page document is just saying, we agree to negotiate. So not a heavy lift at all.

The real work lies ahead of an agreement on a one-page document.

So let me ask you about the phasing then, as Nick had reported, that Iran moves to reopen

the strait, the U.S. ends its blockade, all parties declare an end to the war. Is that the right

phasing, you see? Here's what's left out. Yeah, Iran is willing to reopen the street, but they didn't say they're

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