Iran says Tehran and Washington have reached understandings on many issues in talks on an agreement to end the war, but warns that “an agreement is not imminent.” “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on most of the issues under discussion,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, “but to say that this means that the signing of an agreement is imminent… no one can make such a statement.” The spokesperson specified that Iran’s objective is to end the war and that the nuclear issue has not yet been discussed.
«No guarantee that the US will respect its commitments»
“There is no guarantee that the United States will respect its commitments”: Baghaei said this in response to a question about the “threatening language and images of some US officials, which indicate a willingness to attack Iran”.
“We have much more important things to do, and if we responded to the other party’s tweets, photos and images, we wouldn’t be able to get the more important things done. We are focused on developing and promoting the best methods to protect Iran’s national interests,” he added, quoted by IRNA. «Where necessary, we will respond. We have our own style and we do not copy the style and methods of the enemy.”
Strait of Hormuz: «Fees for services, not tolls»
The Iranian Foreign Ministry finally clarified that Tehran collects fees for “navigation services” from ships transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz, rather than imposing tolls. “The services provided – navigation services in addition to measures necessary to protect the environment of the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman – require the collection of certain fees,” Baghaei said at the weekly news conference, adding that Iran is “not trying to collect tolls.”