US President Donald Trump has said Iran is 'getting a lot closer' to reaching an agreement with the US on the war, as Tehran also signaled progress had been made in the past week.
However, both sides have been cautious. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said the key issue of nuclear weapons would not be part of any initial proposals.
Trump told CBS News he had seen a draft agreement with Iran. When asked whether it was good enough, he said: 'I don't know, I can't tell you that.' He insisted any agreement would 'absolutely' prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
'I will only sign a deal where we get everything we want,' Trump said. 'We're going to have a deal, or we're going have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they're about to be hit.'
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state television that US and Iranian positions had been converging, but warned that did not mean agreements would be reached on key issues. He accused the Americans of 'contradictory statements'.
Baqaei said a 14-point memorandum of understanding was being finalized, allowing further talks within 30 to 60 days to reach a final agreement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was cautiously optimistic. Speaking on a trip to India, he told the BBC there could be news within the next couple of days, but couldn't be certain.
Trump is expected to hold a phone call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan. French President Macron also spoke to Trump and several Arab leaders about the negotiations.
The new momentum comes after the mood appeared to have soured in Washington, with anonymous officials briefing US media that the administration was preparing for a fresh round of military strikes.
US Central Command (Centcom) said it had redirected 100 vessels, disabled four, and allowed 26 humanitarian aid ships to pass since the blockade began.
Iran has claimed military control of an area around the Strait of Hormuz, demanding all transit be coordinated with the 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority.'
Source: www.bbc.com