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Diplomatic Status of Key Issues
Assessment of progress in current US-Iran negotiations
Primary Sources
Iran, Pakistan, and U.S. continue diplomatic talks as war tensions ...
11 hours ago ... Iranian officials said they are open to talks but remain deeply cautious because of mistrust, while U.S. officials pushed for progress and warned they would not ...
Iran-US war latest: Trump administration reportedly preparing for fresh ...
Donald Trump’s administration is preparing for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, according to a new report.Military and intelligence officials have cancelled their Memorial Day weekend plans in case of possible strikes, sources told CBS News. “The President always maintains all options at all times, and it is the job of the Pentagon to be ready to execute any decision the Commander-in-Chief could make,” a White House spokesperson told the outlet. No final decision to launch the strikes had been made as of Friday afternoon, local time. If the US were to launch fresh strikes, it would threaten the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. Peace talks seem to be getting nowhere as the war drags on for nearly three months. Also, on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Nato allies need to prepare a “Plan B” to open the Strait of Hormuz.“What if Iran decides we refuse to open the straits, we’re going to own the straits, and we’re going to charge tolls for it?” he said at a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sweden. “At that point, something has to be done about it.”Rubio urges Strait of Hormuz plan B as UK mission for ‘when no one shooting’A proposed mission by the UK and France to secure the Strait of Hormuz is for “when no one is shooting”, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said as he stressed the need for a “plan B” to reopen the waterway if Iran continues to threaten vessels.While America’s top diplomat said he hoped a deal was reached with Tehran to ensure free passage through the sea route, he stressed the need for a fallback if Iran refused to give up control of the channel and enforced tolls.In this scenario, “then someone’s going to have to go in and do something about it”, argued Mr Rubio.Read more:Stuti Mishra23 May 2026 07:00Tanker approached by suspicious small boat near Yemen, UK maritime agency saysA petrol tanker was approached by a small boat carrying five people in waters near the Yemeni island of Socotra earlier today, the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said. The boat came within 100 metres of the vessel before turning away after the tanker's armed security team appeared on deck.It is the second such incident near Socotra in two days, with a similar approach reported on Friday.Stuti Mishra23 May 2026 06:40Pakistan army chief holds late-night talks with Iran's foreign minister in TehranPakistan's army chief Asim Munir held talks with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran yesterday lasting lat...
Iran says US talks remain far from deal as gaps stay 'deep and ...
Iran says negotiations with the US are far from a breakthrough, with major gaps still separating the two sides. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said state media reports that talks are not “close” to producing an agreement and that it remains difficult to judge whether a deal could emerge “over weeks or months”. He said the differences between Tehran and Washington remain “deep and significant”. “We cannot necessarily say that we have reached a point where an agreement is close,” he said. “The focus of the negotiations is on ending the war. Details related to the nuclear issue are not being discussed at this stage.”
Iran war day 85: Tehran says major gaps remain in US talks - Yahoo
Elizabeth Melimopoulos and ReutersSat, May 23, 2026 at 6:51 AM UTC4 min readPakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Friday as diplomatic efforts to broker a peace agreement between Iran and the United States intensified. Pakistani officials are reportedly playing a growing mediation role as regional powers push to prevent a wider conflict.But Iranian officials have tempered expectations for a quick breakthrough. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said differences in the mediated talks between Tehran and Washington remain “deep and significant”, signalling that major obstacles still stand in the way of a formal agreement.Meanwhile, outrage is growing over Israel’s treatment of Gaza aid flotilla activists after organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said at least 15 detainees reported incidents of sexual assault, including rape, following their seizure by Israeli forces in international waters. The allegations have added to mounting international scrutiny over Israel’s handling of pro-Palestinian activists and detainees.Here is what we know:In IranHormuz ‘security service’: Iran said fees and tolls linked to transit through the Strait of Hormuz are part of a “security service” provided to vessels crossing the strategic waterway, as Tehran rejects US threats of escalation and asserts control over the strait under what it calls a “new reality”. Iranian officials say more than 30 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy over the past day.War halt ‘essential’: An Iranian official said stopping the war “on all fronts” is a necessary condition for any future negotiations with the US, while stressing that no final agreement has yet been reached despite ongoing efforts to bridge differences between Tehran and Washington. The source added that a positive diplomatic atmosphere alone is “not enough” to secure a deal.War diplomacy‘Turning point’: Iran said intensive diplomacy with the US has reached a “decisive” stage, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei citing the presence of senior Pakistani officials in Tehran as part of efforts to secure a peace agreement. He said Iran would not publicly discuss details of nuclear negotiations after past talks “led us into war”, while reiterating Tehran’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy.Sanctions not a priority: An Iranian official says ending the war, lifting the US blockade and ensuring stability in the ...
