Iran says progress made in US talks but no deal imminent

Iran said on Monday that Tehran and Washington had reached understandings on several issues during ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the regional conflict, but stressed that a final agreement had not yet been reached.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said both sides had made progress on a “large portion” of the matters under discussion.

However, he cautioned against assuming that a deal was close to being signed, accusing the United States of sending mixed signals and changing its positions during the talks.

The remarks came after Iran announced it was finalising a 14-point framework intended to support efforts to end the war across the region, including in Lebanon.

Baqaei said discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, a key issue for Washington, would only begin after agreement on the broader framework.

He added that the draft framework included clauses related to ending the US naval blockade on Iranian ports and arrangements concerning the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route.

According to Baqaei, Iran would continue measures to ensure safe transit in the strait. He denied that Tehran was imposing tolls on vessels, saying the charges collected were fees for navigational and environmental protection services.