US says it shot down Iranian drones amid progress on peace deal

The United States reported that it intercepted several Iranian drones that were targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Saturday (13), just hours after the two countries stated that an agreement to end the war in the Middle East was closer than ever.
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The interception occurred after weeks of intermittent negotiations between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Pakistan. The talks were marked by threats and exchanges of attacks, despite the fragile ceasefire signed in April.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for US military operations in the region, stated in a publication on the X network that Iran had "launched multiple single-use attack drones in an attempt to target commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz". reported.
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CENTCOM added that the Strait of Hormuz - one of the main sea routes for transporting oil and gas from the Gulf - "remains open to navigation", despite the blockade imposed by Iran since the start of the war.
Divergence in negotiations
Disagreements between the two sides continue. Iranian state media published a description of what was being negotiated that differs from the version presented by Washington.
"The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a social media post, referring to the Pakistani capital, which has hosted previous rounds of negotiations between the two countries.
Trump - who on Friday accused the Iranians of negotiating in bad faith and misrepresenting the terms already agreed - hours later he shared an image of Araghchi's message on his own social network.
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However, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB quoted Araghchi as saying that, until there is a complete agreement on all the topics under discussion, "it cannot be said with certainty that an understanding has been reached with the US".
In an interview with state television, Araghchi gave some details about the negotiations. According to him, the agreement provides for the end of the American naval blockade of Iranian ports and as yet unspecified changes in the administration of the Strait of Hormuz.
The chancellor also stated that the only way to deal with the country's enriched uranium - which Washington alleges is linked to a nuclear weapons program - "is to dilute it within Iran."
Rebutting Trump's accusation about alleged bad faith in the negotiations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, declared that an understanding with Washington has already been reached "on most points".
Optimism remains
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has acted as mediator since the talks began, said that "a final consensual text for the peace agreement has been concluded". American also expressed optimism by stating that the parties will be able to "sign this agreement in the next few days".
"If you asked me in the morning what was my level of confidence that we would sign this agreement, I would say around 75%. Now, it is probably closer to 80% to 85%, but it is still not 100%," the official told reporters.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it had been in contact with the US and Iran and that it had "proposed Switzerland as the location for a possible signing of the agreement, if the parties agree". days".
Terms of the agreement remain in dispute
Israel, an ally of the USA, stated that Trump promised that any agreement would include the withdrawal of enriched nuclear material from Iran. The Iranian state agency IRNA stated that this issue is not even part of the negotiations.
According to the version released by IRNA, after the signing of an initial agreement, Iran and the USA would hold another 60 days of negotiations, and "Iran's right to enrich uranium and maintain enriched material will be emphasized with a view to its inclusion in the final agreement".
Also according to the Iranian agency, Tehran will insist on maintaining control over the movement of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, blocked by the country since the start of the war, which has caused major impacts on the global economy.
On Friday, the Mehr agency, citing a source close to the Iranian negotiating team, reported that the agreement would also include the release of US$24 billion in Iranian assets frozen.
These details, however, differ from the version presented by a senior White House official to AFP. According to him, Iran agreed to dismantle its nuclear program, destroy its stockpile of enriched uranium and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In exchange, the frozen resources would only be released after fulfilling these obligations.
US Vice President JD Vance also stated that Iran "will not receive money and no resources will be released simply by signing an agreement or participating in one. meeting."
But he added that if "Iran fulfills its obligations, economic benefits will reach the country and the entire region."
Illustration shows US and Iranian flags
REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Source: G1