Iran has dismissed speculation about an imminent deal with the United States, as reported by Guardian. Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s negotiating team, cited contradictory US positions and Israeli interference as the main reasons for the difficult negotiations during a weekly press conference.
Baghaei stated that while a large portion of the disputed points have been agreed upon, “to say that this means the imminent signing of an agreement – no one can claim that,” he said. The future management of the Strait of Hormuz is a matter between Oman and Iran, involving “fees for navigational services” rather than tolls.
Iran insists that a ceasefire in Lebanon be included in the memorandum of understanding, which envisions the resumption of commercial shipping through the strait and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio remained confident that a deal is possible. “Either we have a good deal, or we approach it differently – and we prefer a good deal,” Rubio said in New Delhi.
Source: www.theguardian.com
