After weeks of negotiations between Iran and the United States, tangible progress was announced on Saturday, May 23. The signing of a fourteen-clause protocol is being considered.
Countries like Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, China, Qatar, and Pakistan came together to try to reach a preliminary agreement between the Iranians and Americans. After five weeks of war and six weeks of ceasefire, optimism prevailed on the evening of May 23. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, visiting India at the time, expressed optimism about potential developments later in the day: “There may be news later today […] Progress has been made […] There is a chance that later today, tomorrow, or in a few days, we may have something to say.”
Shortly after, the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated on state television: “After several weeks of bilateral talks, we see a trend towards reconciliation […] We are currently finalizing this agreement protocol consisting of 14 clauses.”
Since the ceasefire on April 8, conflicting signs have emerged about the likelihood of an agreement or the resumption of US strikes. On May 22, the US President decided to cancel his son Donald Trump, Jr.’s wedding, scheduled for the weekend, to remain at the White House due to “government-related circumstances and his love for the United States of America.” Some experts saw this as a potential risk for military operations against Iran.
[Context: Talks between Iran and the US have been ongoing, leading to potential progress.] [Fact Check: Fact-checking information provided in the article for accuracy.]
