Middle East war live: Vance says US and Iran close to agreement as ceasefire deal reported
Middle East war live: Vance says US and Iran close to agreement as ceasefire deal reported
US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that Washington was “not there yet” on an agreement with Iran but that the two sides were close, while also noting that the US retains the ability to significantly set back Tehran’s nuclear programme. The comments came as reports emerged of a tentative deal to extend a ceasefire and ease shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, pending approval from President Donald Trump. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Vance feels ‘pretty good’ about possibility of a ceasefire deal
US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday told reporters that Washington was “not there yet” with Iran on an agreement but that the parties were close, adding that the US was in a position where it could substantially set back Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The United States and Iran reached an agreement on Thursday to extend their ceasefire and lift restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pending US President Donald Trump’s approval, sources told Reuters.
Vance said there were a couple of sticking points in talks with Tehran concerning its enriched uranium stockpile and the question of enrichment.
“It’s hard to say exactly when or if the president is going to sign the MOU. We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points,” Vance said.
“I can’t guarantee that we’re going to get there, but right now I feel pretty good about it,” he said.
Welcome to the France 24 liveblog covering events in the Middle East. Catch up on yesterday’s latest happenings here.
Yesterday’s key developments:
• US and Iranian negotiators agreed on a framework for a 60-day ceasefire extension deal, but it still needs President Donald Trump‘s approval.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had ordered the country’s military to take control of 70 percent of the devastated Gaza Strip, in defiance of the terms of a US-backed ceasefire that took effect in October.
• The Israeli military pounded Lebanon‘s fourth-largest city, killing at least 14 people across the south of the country in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington.
• This year’s United Nations report on sexual violence in conflict zones will include Israeli entities, with the organisation citing “credible information” regarding sexual violence allegedly committed by Israeli security forces against Palestinian detainees in prisons and other detention centres.
