Iran characterizes differences with US as "deep and significant"

Iran classified differences with the United States as "deep and significant", signaling that ongoing negotiations between the two countries face considerable obstacles.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that details related to the nuclear issue are not being discussed with Washington at this stage of the negotiations.

Amid conflicting information throughout the week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that there had been some progress in negotiations, but adopted a cautious tone.

"I wouldn't exaggerate and I wouldn't minimize either. There's still work to be done, we're not there yet, but I hope we get there," said Rubio, as reported by CNN correspondent Priscila Yazbek, from New York.

Two main points of impasse
Iranian government sources and the Reuters news agency indicated, last Thursday, that, although differences between the sides have diminished, there are still critical points of impasse.

The first concerns the enriched uranium held by Iran, estimated at around 440 kg. The United States argues that the material would be used to manufacture a nuclear weapon, while Iran maintains that its use is intended for peaceful purposes.

Washington reportedly requested the delivery of this material, a request that Tehran refused. Among the alternatives raised would be the possibility of Iran transferring the enriched uranium to an allied country, such as Russia.

The second point of impasse involves control of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway responsible for 1/5 of the global oil flow.

Iran has been exercising control over the passage, allowing only allied ships or those that pay some type of fee to sail.

Rubio called the conditions demanded by Iran "unacceptable," adding that an alternative plan would be needed if the country refuses to reopen the waterway.

He also stated that the United States did not request NATO assistance to act there.

Arab mediation and diplomatic pressure
Persian Gulf countries reportedly asked for no resumption of attacks, in order to preserve space for negotiations to move forward.

American President Donald Trump, who had announced last Tuesday (19) that he was preparing an attack against Iran, reportedly backed down in the face of these calls.

In addition, Trump canceled a trip to his son's wedding, which was scheduled to take place in the Bahamas over the weekend, citing the situation linked to Iran as justification.

According to David Sanger, columnist for CNN and The New York Times, after a meeting with Dan Caine, head of the American Armed Forces, there is a possibility that the United States is preparing new attacks or a resumption of fighting this week.

The current scenario of negotiations, according to Priscila Yazbek, indicates a setback in relation to the stage before the conflict, when the two countries discussed a pause in the Iranian nuclear program.

With Iran having taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, the focus of the negotiations was essentially reduced to the reopening of the waterway, without any Iranian commitment to suspend its nuclear program.

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Source: CNN