Iran war day 85: Tehran says major gaps remain in US talks
An Al Jazeera live update reports that the Iranian presidential spokesperson said indirect talks with the United States are 'not close to a deal' and that major gaps remain. Brent crude prices eased slightly during the trading session.
Presidential spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told Al Jazeera in a recorded statement that indirect talks via the Oman and Qatar mediation channels 'continue, but major gaps remain on core enrichment parameters and the timetable for lifting sanctions'. Tehran framed the ball as half in Washington's court.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated, at a joint press appearance in New Delhi, his latest assessment that 'some progress is visible, but we are not yet at the point of an agreement'. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch confirmed that Republican senators are working on a statement cautioning against 'a rushed settlement'.
Brent crude eased to about $99.40 a barrel during the trading session; Goldman Sachs global head of commodities research Daan Struyven told clients in a note that the process will be 'multi-factor and patient'. Anadolu Ajansı also reported that Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran.
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