Iran says final deal distant as Strait of Hormuz closure drags on

Iran has said a final agreement with the United States remains out of reach, as the Strait of Hormuz stays shut amid ongoing tensions.

Speaker of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said there had been some progress in talks but key issues were unresolved.

“We are still far from the final discussion,” he said, noting that major gaps remain despite continued negotiations.

Tehran insisted it would not reopen the strategic waterway until Washington lifts its blockade on Iranian ports.

“If America does not lift the blockade, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be limited,” Ghalibaf added.

US President Donald Trump, however, said talks were progressing but warned Iran against what he described as attempts to pressure Washington.

“We have very good conversations going on,” Trump said, adding that the US was “taking a tough stand”.

The standoff follows a brief reopening of the strait after a temporary ceasefire, which quickly collapsed as both sides hardened positions.

Iran also pushed back on demands to hand over its enriched uranium stockpile, insisting it would not give up what it described as its legal nuclear rights.

President Masoud Pezeshkian questioned the US position, asking why Iran should be denied access to its own nuclear programme.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, remains largely empty of shipping as tensions continue to disrupt oil and gas flows.