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Tehran dismisses imminent US deal claims despite partial progress
Tehran has rejected claims that a US-Iran agreement is imminent, with officials saying no one can make such a claim yet.
Iran has pushed back against claims that a quick agreement with the United States is near, insisting that although progress has been made, a final deal remains far off.
The clarification followed remarks from Washington suggesting that negotiations could be concluded quickly, triggering a brief decline in global oil prices.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a visit to New Delhi: “We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today,” adding that discussions on opening key shipping routes were ongoing.
He stated: “We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table… get the straits open,” while also warning that the US was prepared for alternative outcomes if no agreement is reached.
“We’re either going to have a good agreement or we’re going to have to deal with it another way,” Rubio said.
But Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected expectations of an imminent breakthrough.
“While it is correct that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion, no one can claim that the signing of an agreement is imminent,” he said.
Baqaei also defended Iran’s management of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, describing service-related charges for navigation and environmental protection as legitimate.
“The services that are provided… require the collection of certain fees,” he said.
The diplomatic process continues amid a ceasefire observed by US and Iranian forces since April 8, even as tensions persist over regional security and shipping routes.
Oil markets reacted sharply to the uncertainty, with prices dropping nearly five percent as optimism briefly rose over a potential deal.
In parallel diplomacy, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing to discuss ongoing mediation efforts.
Sharif told Chinese officials that global tensions were at a “critical moment,” while expressing appreciation for China’s support for peace efforts.
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