Iran and US signal some progress in talks as Trump weighs striking again

JERUSALEM (AP) — Iran on Saturday signaled “narrowing differences” in negotiations with the U.S. after Pakistan’s army chief held more talks in Tehran and the United States weighs a new round of attacks on the Islamic Republic.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists in India that “there’s been some progress made” and “there may be news later today.”

Iran has rebuilt military assets after weeks of war and then a fragile ceasefire, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said after the meeting with Field Marshal Asim Munir, state TV reported.

Qalibaf, the lead negotiator in historic face-to-face talks with the U.S. last month, also said the result would be “more crushing and more bitter” than at the start of the war if U.S. President Donald Trump resumes attacks.

Separately, Iran’s official IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying that nuclear issues are not part of the current negotiations, as Tehran first seeks to end the war before discussing its nuclear program that has long been at the heart of international tensions.

Baghaei said the sides are trying to finalize a memorandum of understanding and positions have moved closer in recent days.

“Over the past week, the trend has been toward narrowing differences,” he said. “We will have to wait and see what happens over the next three or four days.”

Rubio said that “even as I speak to you now there is some work being done. There is a chance that whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days we may have something to say.”

Rubio repeated the U.S. stance that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and must turn over its highly enriched uranium, and the Strait of Hormuz must be open.

Trump earlier said he was holding off on a military strike against Iran because “serious negotiations” were underway, and at the request of allies in the Middle East. Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off.

The U.S. and Israel sparked the war with attacks on Feb. 28, cutting short talks with Iran. Tehran retaliated by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the region’s oil, natural gas and fertilizer, causing global economic pain.

The U.S. then blockaded Iranian ports, and the U.S. Central Command on Saturday said U.S. forces had turned away more than 100 commercial vessels and disabled four since the blockade began April 13.

There was progress in the talks between Pakistan’s army chief and Iran’s leadership, two officials in Islamabad said, describing the discussions as moving “in the right direction.” The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

Munir also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials, the two officials said, adding that Islamabad continues efforts to arrange a second round of direct negotiations.

It was not clear whether Pakistan’s army chief met with Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who heads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in talks.

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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in New Delhi, India, contributed.