Iran Calls U.S. Claim of Ongoing Negotiations False as Hormuz Deal Nears

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected U.S. statements that negotiations with Tehran are under way, saying no such talks have taken place in recent days. He said Iran and Oman reached agreement in principle on nearly all issues, including the entry and exit route map, but that any accord would not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the sides had agreed on the route's coordinates and were finalizing a joint statement. The proposed lane would run through Iranian territorial waters for two to four months. Washington has warned that recognizing state control over an international waterway would set a dangerous precedent.