Axios: Washington and Tehran are nearing a framework agreement to end the war
Two US officials told Axios that US and Iranian negotiators made progress in talks on Tuesday, bringing them closer to a framework agreement to end the war.
With the help of Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators, the two sides are seeking to narrow the remaining gaps and reach an agreement before the ceasefire deadline expires on April 21.
A Pakistani delegation, headed by the army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks with Iranian officials.
According to Axios, US officials and sources familiar with the mediation warned that reaching an agreement isn’t guaranteed, given the fundamental differences between the two sides.
Axios quoted a Pakistani official as saying: “Let’s wait and see if we can reach an agreement… We’re optimistic, and therefore we are working hard to put pressure on both sides”.
A US official told the same website that President Donald Trump’s negotiating team – Vice President J D Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, and senior adviser Jared Kushner – continued to make contact and exchange draft proposals with the Iranians and mediators on Tuesday.
The US official added, “They have been in contact by phone and through informal channels with all the countries, and they are getting closer to reaching an agreement,” and a second US official also confirmed progress on Tuesday.
A third US official told Axios: “We want to reach an agreement… Some parts of their government want to reach an agreement… Now, the challenge is to convince the entire government there to agree to the agreement”.
US officials and sources familiar with the mediation indicated that a new round of direct, face-to-face talks is likely to be held in the coming days before the ceasefire expires, but no date has yet been set.
Vice president Vance, who led the initial talks in Pakistan last week, said at an event organized by Turning Point USA in Georgia on Tuesday: “I think those we are sitting with want to reach an agreement… I am very pleased with where we are”.
A US official said that if a framework agreement is reached, the ceasefire will need to be extended to negotiate the details of a comprehensive agreement.
Axios quoted a US official as saying, “The details are complex and cannot be finalized in two days”.
Another US official said, “The United States hasn’t formally agreed to extend the ceasefire… There is ongoing communication between the United States and Iran to reach an agreement”.
