Senior US and Iranian officials say they could be close to a breakthrough in talks aimed at producing a draft deal to end the war in the Middle East. Both sides describe the process as progressing, but Iran indicates that remaining gaps continue between the negotiating positions. Iran also states that the dispute over its nuclear programme will not be included in the initial talks, suggesting the discussions focus on other elements tied to ending hostilities.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expresses optimism about the prospects for a breakthrough, according to the reports. At the same time, Pakistan’s army chief—described as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran—has left Tehran after two days of meetings with senior Iranian leaders. The intermediary’s meetings are presented as part of the broader effort to facilitate communication between the two sides as the negotiations continue. No final agreement is reported, and the officials’ comments indicate the talks are still underway with unresolved issues.
