- Baqaei also defended Iran’s continued management of maritime activities in the Strait of Hormuz
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, dismissed suggestions that a deal was imminent.
- it would be premature to conclude that an agreement was close
Iran has cautioned that negotiations with the United States to end the Middle East conflict have not yet reached the stage of a final agreement, despite reports of progress in recent talks.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the statement came after mixed signals emerged from Washington and Tehran over the weekend, raising expectations of a possible breakthrough.
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Global oil prices dropped following renewed optimism after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested an agreement could be reached soon.
Rubio said discussions had advanced and pointed to progress on issues relating to maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, dismissed suggestions that a deal was imminent.
He said while major issues under discussion had seen progress, it would be premature to conclude that an agreement was close.
Baqaei also defended Iran’s continued management of maritime activities in the Strait of Hormuz, saying service charges imposed in the waterway were for navigation support, environmental protection and other operational measures rather than transit tolls.
The comments came as Pakistan intensified diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a negotiated settlement between the two sides.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday as part of ongoing consultations.
The conflict began after military actions involving the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region.
Although a ceasefire has reportedly remained in place since April, tensions persist, with the US maintaining naval pressure while Iran continues oversight of Gulf shipping routes.
Earlier, President Donald Trump said negotiators had been instructed not to rush into an agreement, insisting that any eventual deal with Iran must be properly concluded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said any final agreement should completely remove concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.
Meanwhile, oil prices reacted positively to hopes of progress, with both Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate recording notable declines.
