Mediators moved closer Wednesday to extending the cease-fire between the United States and Iran and restarting negotiations to salvage the fragile truce before it expires next week.
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A billboard with a graphic design about the Strait of Hormuz on a building in Tehran, Iran, Monday. Credit: Majid-Asgaripour/Reuters
A billboard with a graphic design about the Strait of Hormuz on a building in Tehran, Iran, Monday. Credit: Majid-Asgaripour/Reuters
The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats have imperiled the week-old agreement, but regional officials said Wednesday they were making progress, telling The Associated Press that the United States and Iran had given an “in principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy.
Before the two-week cease-fire expires on April 22, mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend: Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to one of the regional officials who is involved in mediation efforts.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said Washington and Tehran continued to exchange messages through Pakistan, state media reported. According to the spokesperson, it was “highly probable” a Pakistani delegation would arrive in Iran on Wednesday, in continuation of Saturday’s talks in Islamabad.