How far have the US and Iran got towards ending the war?

The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to extend a ceasefire, allow shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and lift a US blockade and some sanctions on Iran, sources have said, but the deal has not been finalised. US President Donald Trump’s approval is still pending. An agreement would represent a big step towards ending a war that has pushed the world towards an energy crisis , though the underlying dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme would only be thrashed out in talks over subsequent weeks. Where have the discussions got to? Following a ceasefire in early April, the two sides have remained at odds on issues including Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel’s war in Lebanon with Hezbollah, and Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen assets. After weeks of mainly indirect talks , four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday that the US and Iran had agreed to a memorandum of understanding that would halt the war and give negotiators 60 days to reach a final deal . However, both sides have said several times before that they believed an agreement was close but without ever concluding an agreement. The position of Israel, which launched the air war on Iran on February 28 alongside the United States, is central to any deal but its role in the agreement is unclear. US President Donald Trump has not yet approved the deal, according to the sources. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday: “We’re not there, but we’re very close and we’re going to keep working on it”. Iran has not yet formally commented, but the semi-official Tasnim news agency cited a source close to the negotiating team as saying the text of the agreement had not yet been finalised or confirmed. Iranian sources have previously said a framework deal is only about ending the war on all fronts, establishing a 30-day framework for international and Iranian movement through the Strait of Hormuz and possibly provid...

Original source: Dawn Pakistan