US and Iran move closer in talks towards deal to end war: report

WASHINGTON: United States and Iranian negotiators have made progress in talks, moving closer to a framework agreement to end the war, US news website Axios claimed citing U.S. officials.

Axios reported that the US and Iran have made progress in their ongoing backchannel talks and reached near to a framework deal.

US officials said that the US Vice President JD Vance, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with phone calls and drafts exchanged proposals with Iranian officials. The backchannel contacts have helped the sides to fill the gaps.

The two adversaries — with the assistance of mediators have been trying to bridge remaining gaps and reach a deal before the ceasefire expires on April 21, website said.

US officials said that some in the Iranian government intend to reach to a deal, but efforts are underway to bring the whole government into the loop for the deal.

It is to be mentioned here that Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir with a delegation has been in Tehran for talks. Al-Jazeera reported that the Pakistan’s officials talking over Iran’s nuclear program and a breakthrough is possible in the dialogue.

A delegation led by Field Marshal Asim Munir also accompanied Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Wednesday as part of the ongoing mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.

The visit comes at a critical juncture, as backchannel contacts and diplomatic efforts continued following recent rounds of talks between Washington and Tehran that failed to yield a breakthrough.

Pakistan has positioned itself as a key facilitator in promoting dialogue, aiming to de-escalate tensions and encourage a peaceful resolution through sustained diplomatic engagement.

Earlier, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing, said that exchanges with the United States via Pakistan had continued following the unsuccessful negotiations over the weekend.

“Since Sunday, when the Iranian delegation returned to Tehran, several messages have been exchanged through Pakistan,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.

The US-Iran negotiations at the weekend in Pakistan took place against the backdrop of a fragile two-week ceasefire announced days earlier, but they failed to produce a deal to end the war.

The talks, which lasted around 21 hours, saw the US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian side headed by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.