US and Iran 'very close' to a deal but 'not there yet', Vance says
According to BBC Middle East, US Vice President JD Vance said the framework of a ceasefire-extension deal between Washington and Tehran is awaiting approval and that, while the parties have not yet taken the final step, negotiations are 'very close'.
BBC Middle EastAccording to BBC Middle East, US Vice President JD Vance said the framework of a ceasefire-extension deal between Washington and Tehran is awaiting approval. According to the report, citing earlier BBC information, Vance said negotiations were 'very close', though the parties had not yet taken the final step. He stressed that approval was still needed from President Donald Trump and Iran's leadership and that no 'completed step' had been taken yet.
Mediator contacts continue through Doha, with Qatar, Oman and Pakistan involved. According to the report, the framework text covers arrangements to ensure safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a phased relief of specific sanctions items and provisions on uranium-enrichment ceilings. Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said in remarks that 'significant gaps' remained, but that the will to negotiate continued.
In the coming period, Trump's formal approval signal, the position of Tehran's Supreme National Security Council and movements in Brent oil prices will be decisive. Weekly assessments by EU foreign-affairs chief Kaja Kallas may also offer useful clues on the trajectory.
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