No timeline yet for US-Iran deal, Tehran says

Iran and the United States are continuing work on the final version of a potential agreement, with no clear timeline yet established for concluding the negotiations, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said.

In an interview with the Mehr news agency, Gharibabadi said the draft agreement remains under review and will only be finalized once Tehran is satisfied that its interests are fully reflected in the text.

“The text of the agreement can only be considered final when we are satisfied with the outcome. As for the timeline, I cannot provide any specific dates. We intend to refine the text so that it serves our interests,” he said.

Gharibabadi also highlighted the issue of Iran’s frozen overseas assets, describing it as one of Tehran’s key priorities in the negotiations.

According to the deputy foreign minister, discussions are ongoing regarding the mechanism and schedule for releasing the funds. However, he stressed that Iran expects a substantial portion of the assets to be made available immediately following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Washington.

“Another issue that serves our interests and requires resolution is the unfreezing of Iranian funds. The question of what portion of these funds should be transferred first and what portion should be released after a certain period remains under discussion. However, Iran’s minimum demand is that 50% of these funds be immediately transferred to Iran following the signing of a memorandum of understanding,” Gharibabadi said.

By Vafa Guliyeva