Iran warned Monday that, while some progress had been made, it was not yet close to striking a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war, after a weekend of mixed messages from Washington and Tehran.
World oil prices tumbled on renewed optimism about an agreement, after top US diplomat Marco Rubio suggested a deal could be reached within the day — but Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman responded: “No one can make such a claim.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — whose government is spearheading efforts to mediate a negotiated agreement between the United States and Iran — met China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
US and Iranian forces have observed a ceasefire since April 8 while diplomats push for a negotiated settlement, although Iran has maintained controls on Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the US Navy has sought to blockade Iran’s ports.
