JERUSALEM (AP) 鈥� Iran on Saturday signaled 鈥渘arrowing differences鈥� in with the U.S. after Pakistan鈥檚 army chief held more talks in Tehran and the United States weighs a new round of attacks on the Islamic Republic.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists in India that 鈥渢here鈥檚 been some progress made” and 鈥渢here may be news later today.鈥�
Iran has rebuilt after and then a fragile ceasefire, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said after the meeting with Field Marshal Asim Munir, state TV reported.
Qalibaf, the lead negotiator in historic face-to-face talks with the U.S. last month, also said the result would be 鈥渕ore crushing and more bitter鈥� than at the start of the war if U.S. President Donald Trump resumes attacks.
Separately, Iran鈥檚 official IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying that nuclear issues are not part of the current negotiations, as Tehran first seeks to end the war before discussing its that has long been at the heart of international tensions.
Baghaei said the sides are trying to finalize a memorandum of understanding and positions have moved closer in recent days.
鈥淥ver the past week, the trend has been toward narrowing differences,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e will have to wait and see what happens over the next three or four days.鈥�
Rubio said that “even as I speak to you now there is some work being done. There is a chance that whether it鈥檚 later today, tomorrow, in a couple days we may have something to say.鈥�
Rubio repeated the U.S. stance that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and must turn over its highly enriched uranium, and the Strait of Hormuz must be open.
Trump earlier said he was on a military strike against Iran because 鈥渟erious negotiations鈥� were underway, and at the request of allies in the Middle East. Trump has for Tehran and then backed off.
The U.S. and Israel sparked the war with attacks on Feb. 28, cutting short talks with Iran. Tehran retaliated by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the region鈥檚 oil, natural gas and fertilizer, causing global economic pain.
The U.S. then Iranian ports, and the U.S. Central Command on Saturday said U.S. forces had turned away more than 100 commercial vessels and disabled four since the blockade began April 13.
There was progress in the talks between Pakistan鈥檚 army chief and Iran鈥檚 leadership, two officials in Islamabad said, describing the discussions as moving 鈥渋n the right direction.鈥� The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.
Munir also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials, the two officials said, adding that Islamabad continues efforts to arrange a second round of direct negotiations.
It was not clear whether Pakistan’s army chief met with , who heads Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, has become a major player in formulating in talks.
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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in New Delhi, India, contributed.
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