Iran Says US Talks Progressing but No Final Deal Yet

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf confirmed that while negotiations with the United States to end the current conflict have made progress, a final agreement remains out of reach.

“We are not yet close to the final stage of negotiations,” Ghalibaf stated during a national television address on Saturday night. He noted that despite a "more realistic understanding" between both sides, fundamental gaps continue to stall a resolution.

The Speaker emphasized that the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control, asserting that the U.S. has yet to achieve its primary military or political objectives. He further clarified that Iran's acceptance of the current ceasefire was strictly conditional.

“If we accepted the ceasefire, it is only because they met our conditions,” Ghalibaf said. He described the ongoing diplomatic process as an extension of Iran's "struggle" to establish its sovereign rights against external imposition.

The remarks come amid a tense two-week ceasefire, with Ghalibaf warning that any U.S. attempt to maintain a naval blockade would be viewed as a violation of the truce.