A possible framework agreement for his termination appears to be nearing as well, as according to American officials progress was made in Tuesday’s negotiations.
As , the two sides, with the mediation of Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, are attempting to bridge the remaining differences before it expires on April 21.
It is not certain that an agreement will be reached
Despite the encouraging signs, officials warn that a deal is not a given, .
In the background, President Donald Trump’s negotiating team led by Vice President Jay D. Vance and including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner has been in constant communication with the Iranian side and mediators, exchanging proposals and drafts of a deal.
“There is progress and the sides are getting closer,” said an American official, while another emphasized that “there are forces on both sides that want an agreement, but the point is to have a global consensus within the Iranian leadership.”
A new round of direct talks is expected to take place in the coming days, but no specific date has yet been set.
Vice President Vance, who led the initial contacts in Pakistan, said he had a “very good feeling” about the progress of the negotiations, noting that the Iranian side appeared willing to reach a deal.
The issues are complex
If an initial framework agreement is reached, an extension of the ceasefire will be required to negotiate the details of a comprehensive agreement, as, as the same sources point out, “the issues are complex and cannot be resolved in a few days.”
At the same time, the pressure on Tehran is intensifying. has drastically reduced oil exports, a key source of revenue for the country.
According to estimates, Iran exports about 1.5 million barrels a day, earning about $140 million, an amount that could be reduced to zero under a full blockade.
The country’s economic situation is further worsened by the war and sanctions, with key industrial sectors hit, while ongoing cyber-attacks and internet outages further weigh on economic activity.
In this context, diplomacy moves in tandem with pressure, aiming for an agreement before the end of the ceasefire, in a particularly fluid and critical geopolitical environment.
