Iran says progress has been made toward a U.S. deal to end the war, but disputes over shipping, nuclear talks and shifting positions remain unresolved.
Iran said Monday that it has reached understandings with the United States on much of a proposed deal to end the war, but warned that an agreement is not ready to sign and that shifting U.S. positions continue to complicate the talks.
The cautious assessment from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei came as President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly described the negotiations in more hopeful terms, raising the possibility of an announcement soon while also insisting that Washington would accept only a deal it considers strong enough.
Baqaei said Tehran and Washington had reached a conclusion on “a large portion” of the issues under discussion, but added that no one could say a signing was imminent. He also said Iran had not set a timeline for finalizing an agreement.
The deal under discussion centers on ending the war and restoring passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes. CNBC reported last week that roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes through the waterway, where shipping traffic has been sharply disrupted since U.S. and Israeli-led strikes against Iran began Feb. 28.
Rubio said Monday that the United States had “a pretty solid thing on the table” for reopening the strait and suggested a deal could still materialize quickly. Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would either sign “a great and meaningful” agreement with Iran “or there will be no deal.”
Iran’s account was more guarded. Baqaei said “some issues” had not been finalized and argued that “frequent changes in positions and contradictions” from the Trump administration had created “problems and obstacles” for diplomacy.
A major unresolved issue is how shipping would resume through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says a proposed arrangement with Oman would not amount to tolls, even as it argues that navigation, security and environmental services in the waterway would carry costs. Baqaei said Iran was “not seeking to collect tolls.”
Washington has rejected any tolling system. Rubio said last week that “no one in the world is in favor of a tolling system,” calling such a measure unacceptable. Trump also told reporters the waterway should remain open and free, describing it as an international waterway.
The nuclear issue remains another point of tension. Iran says the emerging 14-point memorandum is focused on ending the war, not on immediate nuclear concessions. Baqaei said nuclear-related talks would begin within a 60-day period if a deal is reached.
U.S. officials have described the nuclear file differently. A senior Trump administration official said Sunday that Iran had agreed in principle to a deal that would include disposal of highly enriched uranium, though details were still being negotiated. CNBC reported last week that Washington has pushed Tehran to give away its enriched uranium stockpile, while Iran says the material is intended for peaceful purposes.
The diplomacy is unfolding against a wider regional backdrop. Israel’s military issued new evacuation warnings Monday for 10 Lebanese villages ahead of expected strikes against alleged Hezbollah targets, and Israeli far-right cabinet member Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu return to “intense war” in Lebanon. Iran has insisted that any peace deal include a halt to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Pakistan has also remained involved in mediation efforts. Army chief Asim Munir traveled to Tehran last week and was in Beijing on Monday alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for talks with Chinese leaders, as China said it would work with Pakistan to support the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.
For now, both sides are signaling that an agreement is possible while leaving key terms unresolved. The next test is whether negotiators can turn the stated progress into a final text on shipping, sanctions and future nuclear talks without reopening the gaps that have slowed the process.
Comments (0)