Tehran, May 23 (ANI) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei offered a cautious, measured assessment of ongoing indirect talks with the United States, saying the discussions had narrowed some gaps but important issues still require further work.
Baghaei, appointed by decree from Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to represent the negotiating team, told reporters that this week’s exchanges moved the process toward reducing differences but that mediators still needed time to resolve remaining points. He said the next three to four days would be important in determining the outcome.
He explained that proposed 30- and 60-day timelines appear in a draft memorandum of understanding and would only come into force once the framework is finalised. Pakistan is acting as a mediator in the talks, Baghaei said, with Qatar and other regional partners providing additional support.
The spokesman stressed that stopping the fighting is the immediate priority for all sides, and that detailed discussions about Iran’s nuclear dossier are not the focus at this stage. He argued that Tehran’s nuclear issue had previously been used as a pretext for what he called two aggressive wars against the Iranian people, and that for now Iran is prioritising the urgent goal of ending the conflict.
Baghaei acknowledged that mediation has been complicated by shifting positions on the other side, saying inconsistent and contradictory views have made the mediators’ work more difficult and required frequent visits to Tehran.
He also rejected suggestions that recent diplomatic contacts had included threats, insisting the visits were strictly part of mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.
On regional security, Baghaei said the Strait of Hormuz should be managed by its coastal states, naming Iran and Oman as having responsibility for mechanisms governing the waterway rather than external powers.
According to Baghaei, negotiators are finalising a 14-clause “framework understanding” that would set the terms for more detailed talks to follow over the next 30 to 60 days. Summing up the situation, he described progress as “very far, very close,” reflecting both recent movement and remaining uncertainty.
Updated At: 10:40 PM May 23, 2026 IST
(This report is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received.)
