Iran, the United States, and mediator Pakistan all signaled on Saturday that significant progress has been made in negotiations aimed at ending nearly three months of war, raising hopes for a potential breakthrough in the coming days.
Iran’s foreign ministry announced that Tehran is focused on finalizing a memorandum of understanding after Iranian negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, in Tehran. Munir also held talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian before departing, according to Iranian state media. The Pakistani army described the previous 24 hours of negotiations as resulting in “encouraging progress towards a final understanding.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters in New Delhi, confirmed some progress on Iran. “There’s been some progress done, some progress made, even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say,” Rubio said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei added that the trend this week has been toward a reduction in disputes, but noted that issues remain. “We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days,” Baghaei said.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts aim to narrow differences between the two sides after weeks of conflict that have closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz to most shipping, disrupting global energy markets. The talks reportedly center on a 14-point document proposed by Iran as the main framework for discussions, along with messages exchanged between the two sides. Baghaei said ending the threat of new U.S. attacks and the conflict in Lebanon, where Hezbollah militants are fighting Israeli forces, is Tehran’s priority.
Rubio reiterated U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands: Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon, the Strait of Hormuz must reopen without tolls, and Iran must turn over its enriched uranium. Trump, whose approval ratings have suffered due to the war’s impact on energy prices for U.S. consumers, said Friday he would skip his son’s wedding this weekend, citing Iran among reasons to stay in Washington.
Despite weeks of conflict, Iran has preserved its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and its missile, drone, and proxy capabilities, which the United States and Israel aim to curb. Qalibaf warned that if the U.S. restarts the war, the consequences would be “more forceful and bitter” than at the conflict’s outset.
Source: ARY News