BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
The United States and Iran appear to be edging closer to a preliminary agreement aimed at ending months of escalating conflict, with regional officials and diplomats indicating Saturday that both sides are reviewing a draft memorandum of understanding that could pave the way toward a broader ceasefire and future negotiations.
The proposed framework, reportedly prepared with strong mediation support from Pakistan and Qatar, comes at a critical moment after weeks of military confrontation, regional instability and fears of a wider Middle East war involving key global powers.
According to regional officials familiar with the discussions, negotiators have significantly narrowed their differences in recent days, raising cautious optimism that a breakthrough could emerge within the next 48 hours if both governments approve the current draft.
The officials, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the talks, said Pakistan’s military leadership has played an increasingly central diplomatic role, with Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir holding multiple rounds of meetings in Tehran with senior Iranian leaders.
The diplomatic effort has also reportedly involved key figures inside President Donald Trump’s administration, including Vice President JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who were described as instrumental in helping bridge remaining disagreements between Washington and Tehran.
Qatar has also emerged as a major intermediary in the negotiations, with a senior Qatari official reportedly traveling to Tehran to reinforce mediation efforts and support Pakistan’s diplomatic initiative.
Despite signs of progress, both Washington and Tehran continued emphasizing their core demands while warning that military escalation remains possible if negotiations collapse.
Iranian officials publicly described the current proposal not as a final settlement but as a “framework agreement” intended to establish the basis for further negotiations over the coming weeks.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the draft seeks to address key issues required to end what Tehran describes as an “imposed war” while leaving room for more detailed talks lasting between 30 and 60 days.
Baghaei said discussions have included the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime energy routes and a focal point of the recent conflict.
He added that the overall direction of negotiations had become more positive over the past week, with positions between the two sides gradually moving closer together.
According to Baghaei, Iran’s immediate focus remains ending the war and stabilizing regional tensions before addressing broader disputes surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program, which has remained at the center of international tensions for years.
Iranian officials insist sanctions relief must form a core component of any eventual agreement. Baghaei stated that the lifting of sanctions had been explicitly included in the current draft text and remained one of Tehran’s non-negotiable positions.
Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that diplomatic activity was continuing behind the scenes and suggested that a significant announcement could emerge soon.
Rubio said active negotiations were still underway and indicated that developments could occur within days. At the same time, he reiterated longstanding American demands that Iran never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and must surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. He also stressed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to international shipping.
The waterway has become one of the central flashpoints in the conflict after Iran effectively disrupted commercial movement through the strait following the outbreak of war earlier this year.
The current conflict began after coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 abruptly halted previous diplomatic efforts with Tehran. Iran responded with military and economic measures targeting maritime traffic through the Persian Gulf, causing severe disruptions to global energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a critical route for oil, liquefied natural gas and fertilizer shipments from the Gulf region, and instability there triggered sharp increases in global energy prices and broader economic concerns.
In response, the United States imposed a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports and commercial shipping routes. United States Central Command said Saturday that American forces had turned away more than 100 commercial vessels and disabled four ships since the blockade operations began in April.
Meanwhile, Iranian leaders have sought to project confidence despite the economic and military pressures created by the conflict.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said after meeting Pakistan’s army chief that Iran had successfully rebuilt much of its damaged military capacity following weeks of war and a fragile ceasefire period.
Qalibaf, who previously led direct negotiations with U.S. officials last month, warned that any renewed American military attack would produce consequences “more crushing and more bitter” than those experienced during the initial stages of the conflict.
Trump has repeatedly alternated between threatening military action and emphasizing diplomacy in recent weeks. Earlier, he said he had delayed additional strikes against Iran because serious negotiations were underway and because key Middle Eastern allies urged Washington to allow more time for diplomacy.
The president has frequently imposed deadlines on Tehran during the crisis before later extending or softening them as negotiations continued.
Pakistan has become increasingly important in efforts to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a broader regional war. During his visit to Tehran, Asim Munir reportedly met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior Iranian officials.
Diplomatic sources said Islamabad continues working to arrange a second round of direct negotiations between American and Iranian representatives.
It remained unclear Saturday whether Munir also met with Ahmad Vahidi, the senior Revolutionary Guard figure who has emerged as one of the most influential voices shaping Iran’s hardline negotiating position during the conflict.
While optimism surrounding the proposed memorandum has grown, officials cautioned that substantial obstacles remain and that any agreement could still collapse if disagreements over sanctions, nuclear issues or regional security intensify in the coming days.
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