U.S. media reveals progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations: "Mediators are less optimistic"

Ask AI · Why Iran-U.S. negotiators lack confidence in a short-term deal?

Reference News Network April 6 report According to a report by the U.S. news website Axios on April 5, President Trump said in an interview with Axios that the United States is conducting “intense negotiations” with Iran and that a deal could be reached before the deadline he set for July 7.

He said: “The odds are very good, but if they don’t reach an agreement, I will blow up everything over there.”

The mediators are not particularly optimistic about a deal being reached, but they say they will keep working until the last moment, aiming at least to secure an incomplete agreement and postpone Trump’s ultimatum. Trump has threatened that if he cannot reach an agreement with Iran’s leadership, he will destroy the infrastructure vital to Iran’s civilian population.

Such attacks could constitute war crimes, and Iran has also threatened to retaliate by striking infrastructure in Israel and Gulf countries.

Over the past ten days, the United States and Iran have held indirect talks through Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey in an effort to reach a ceasefire agreement in exchange for the Strait of Hormuz remaining open. So far, there has been no major progress.

In an eight-minute phone call, Trump told Axios that his envoy Steven Witko f and Jared Kushner are engaged in tense negotiations with Iran.

Two sources involved in the talks said the negotiations are conducted through mediators in Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, as well as via text messages sent between Trump’s advisers and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghzi.

Trump said: “The negotiations are going well, but negotiations with the Iranians can never reach the finish line.”

Two sources familiar with the mediation process said that the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are trying to put together a package of confidence-building measures, which could prompt Trump to extend the ultimatum and make it more likely that both sides will hold talks. (Compiled/ Qing Songzhu)