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Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service.

We're coming to you live from London. I'm James Menendez.

Are the United States in Iran edging close to an agreement to extend their current ceasefire.

On the surface, it sounds like it a few hours ago, President Trump posted on true social

to say he was about to head into the White House Situation Room to confer with his inner circle

and make a final decision on whether to sign off on a draft agreement. That meeting broke up

about an hour ago. We've had no

news since. He also said the Strait of Hormuz had to be reopened to shipping, that Iran must never

have a nuclear weapon, and that the country's stocks of uranium enrichment would be dug up and

destroyed. However, it's not clear that Tehran has agreed to those conditions. So where are we?

Ali Veyes is Iran project director for the crisis group. Does he think the two sides are close to a deal

to extend their ceasefire? Look, you never know with President Trump, who is predictably unpredictable,

but I do believe that we are closer than ever before.

The mediators, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, they've done a lot to try to bridge the remaining gaps.

And from the president's messaging, it really appears that he is trying to sell a deal that he knows is going to be

criticized domestically in the United States. So I do believe that this is probably going to

happen in the next 24 to 48 hours. I suppose we should be clear. I mean, this isn't an overarching

peace deal between the two countries, is it? I mean, it is, we are talking about

an extension of the ceasefire and what further negotiations to follow.

You're absolutely right. This is a superficial, just one-page agreement that would consolidate

the ceasefire and would very importantly see the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

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