Iran And U.s. Close To Agreement Aimed At Ending The War, Officials Say

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The United States and Iran are adjacent to agreeing connected a memorandum of knowing aimed astatine ending nan war, 2 location officials and a diplomat said Saturday, arsenic nan U.S. weighed a caller information of attacks connected nan Islamic Republic.

Iran signaled “narrowing differences” successful negotiations pinch nan U.S. aft Pakistan’s service main held much talks successful Tehran, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists successful India that “there’s been immoderate advancement made” and “there whitethorn beryllium news later today.”

The officials and diplomat expressed dream that a last determination connected nan Pakistan-prepared draught could travel wrong 48 hours arsenic some sides reappraisal it. They said connected information of anonymity because they were not authorized to little nan media.

They said Vice President JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner played important roles successful helping span remaining gaps, and that Qatar played a cardinal domiciled by sending a elder charismatic to Tehran to support Pakistan’s mediation efforts.

Still, some Iran and nan U.S. emphasized their cardinal positions and person warned of nan risks of resuming attacks.

A ‘framework agreement’

Iran authorities TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei arsenic describing nan draught arsenic a “framework agreement,” adding: “We want this to see nan main issues required for ending nan imposed warfare and different issues of basal value to us. Then, complete a reasonable clip span, betwixt 30 to 60 days, specifications are discussed and yet a last statement is reached.”

He said nan Strait of Hormuz is among nan topics discussed.

Positions person moved person successful caller days, Iran’s charismatic IRNA news agency quoted Baghaei arsenic saying.

“Over nan past week, nan inclination has been toward narrowing differences,” he said. “We will person to hold and spot what happens complete nan adjacent 3 aliases 4 days.”

Baghaei said atomic issues are not portion of nan existent negotiations, arsenic Tehran first seeks to extremity nan warfare earlier discussing its atomic programme that has agelong been astatine nan bosom of world tensions.

“Our attraction astatine this shape is connected ending nan warfare connected each fronts, including Lebanon,” Baghaei said, adding that lifting sanctions connected Tehran “has explicitly been included successful nan matter and remains our fixed position.”

Rubio said that “even arsenic I speak to you now location is immoderate activity being done. There is simply a chance that whether it’s later today, tomorrow, successful a mates days we whitethorn person thing to say.”

Rubio repeated nan U.S. stance that Iran tin ne'er person a atomic limb and must move complete its highly enriched uranium, and nan Strait of Hormuz must beryllium open.

Iran has rebuilt subject assets aft weeks of warfare and past a vulnerable ceasefire, parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said aft nan gathering pinch Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir, authorities TV reported.

Qalibaf, nan lead negotiator successful historical face-to-face talks pinch nan U.S. past month, besides said nan consequence would beryllium “more crushing and much bitter” than astatine nan commencement of nan warfare if President Trump resumes attacks.

‘Serious negotiations’ were underway

Trump earlier said he was holding disconnected connected a subject onslaught against Iran because “serious negotiations” were underway, and astatine nan petition of friends successful nan Middle East. He has many times group deadlines for Tehran and past backed off.

The U.S. and Israel sparked nan warfare by attacking Iran connected Feb. 28, cutting short ongoing talks astatine nan clip pinch Tehran. Iran retaliated by fundamentally closing nan Strait of Hormuz, a cardinal waterway for nan region’s oil, earthy state and fertilizer, causing world economical pain.

The U.S. past blockaded Iranian ports, and nan U.S. Central Command connected Saturday said U.S. forces had turned distant much than 100 commercialized vessels and abnormal 4 since nan blockade began April 13.

There was advancement successful nan talks betwixt Pakistan’s service main and Iran’s leadership, 2 officials successful Islamabad said, describing nan discussions arsenic moving “in nan correct direction.” The officials said connected information of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to nan media connected nan record.

Munir besides met pinch Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and different elder officials, nan 2 officials said, adding that Pakistan continues efforts to put a 2nd information of nonstop negotiations.

It was not clear whether Pakistan’s service main met pinch Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who heads Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has go a awesome subordinate successful formulating Iran’s reliable stance successful talks.

Ahmed and Lee constitute for nan Associated Press. Lee reported from Washington.