US, Iran near one-page deal to end war, begin nuclear talks: Report

The United States and Iran are closing in on an agreement over a one-page memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will end the war in West Asia that has been raging on since 28 February, as per a report by Axis which has cited two US officials and two other sources familiar with the matter.

The US is expecting responses from Iran on a number of key points in the next two days, the report revealed while cautioning that nothing has been agreed upon yet. However, this is the closest both parties have been to coming to an agreement since the war began.

The one-page 14-point memorandum is being negotiated between Steve Witkoff and Jared Kusher and a number of Iranian officials both directly and through mediators.

The report has revealed that the deal will involve Iran committing to a moratorium on its nuclear enrichment and the United States agreeing to lift sanctions on the country and releasing several billions in frozen Iranian funds. Both sides would also have to lift restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said on Wednesday that it would agree to a peace deal only if the terms were “fair,” following US President Donald Trump’s decision to pause a three-day naval operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a move that had unsettled the month-long ceasefire in the conflict.

As per Axios, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday “we don't have to have the actual agreement written in one day”.

"This is highly complex and technical. But we have to have a diplomatic solution that is very clear on the topics they are willing to negotiate on and the extent of the concessions they are willing to make at the front end in order to make it worthwhile," he mentioned.

However, he also slammed some of Iran’s senior leaders, calling them “insane in the brain,” and expressed uncertainty over whether they were willing to reach a deal.

Trump to raise Iran conflict in talks with China's Xi

Trump said he plans to discuss the Iran conflict with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their summit next week, while also attempting to play down tensions between the two countries over the issue, as per Bloomberg.

“That’ll be one subject, but he’s been very nice about this,” Trump said while speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, responding to a question about his goals for discussions with Xi Jinping regarding Iran.

“He’s been very respectful. We haven’t been challenged by China,” the president added, even as he noted that Beijing remains a major buyer of Iranian oil, supplies of which have been affected by the conflict. “They don’t challenge us. He wouldn’t do that. I don’t think he’d do that because of me, but I think he’s been very respectful.”

Pakistan PM Sharif ‘hopeful’ amid US-Iran war

Meanwhile, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has played a mediating role in the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, said on Wednesday that he is “hopeful” ongoing negotiations will pave the way for peace in the Middle East. His remarks come as Pakistan continues to act as a key intermediary, urging dialogue and de-escalation between the involved nations.

"We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond," he wrote on X.

(With inputs from Reuters)