Iran revealed on Monday that its ongoing talks with the United States were currently focused on ending the war rather than negotiating the details of Tehran's nuclear programme, while dismissing claims that a deal between the two sides was imminent.
The remarks came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an agreement with Iran could potentially be reached "today", adding that Washington would give diplomacy "every chance to succeed" before considering "alternatives".
Rubio also said the US had put a "very strong proposal" on the table concerning the Strait of Hormuz and time-bound nuclear negotiations.
Speaking during his weekly press conference in Tehran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that although progress had been made on "a large part of the issues under discussion", no one could claim that signing an agreement was close.
"At this stage, we are not negotiating the details of the nuclear file," Baghaei said, adding that recent developments surrounding a possible memorandum of understanding were the result of weeks of indirect talks mediated by Pakistan. He also said several other countries had made "goodwill efforts" to facilitate discussions.
Baghaei confirmed that the draft understanding currently under discussion does not include details related to the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that managing the strategic waterway "belongs to the coastal states overlooking it".
He said Iran and Oman were seeking a reliable mechanism to guarantee safe navigation through the strait because both countries believed in ensuring maritime freedom for all states.
The Iranian spokesman criticised what he described as constantly shifting US positions, saying repeated changes in Washington’s rhetoric were complicating dialogue and creating obstacles to negotiations. He also rejected claims that Iran intended to impose fees on countries using the Strait of Hormuz , saying that any payments linked to environmental protection and maritime services should not be described as "charges".
Responding to reports that US President Donald Trump was pressuring Gulf states to join the Abraham Accords in exchange for peace with Iran, Baghaei said such conditions were an attempt to distract attention from the "main issue".
He accused Israel of being "the principal and sole cause" of insecurity in the region and said normalisation projects could not "normalise relations with an abnormal entity".
Baghaei added that the draft understanding being negotiated includes a ceasefire "on all fronts, including Lebanon". He also confirmed that a Qatari delegation visited Tehran last week to help advance the Pakistan-mediated talks.
Rubio, meanwhile, insisted that "Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon", while acknowledging that resolving the nuclear issue would take time because of its technical complexity.
He also confirmed that the Trump administration had the backing of "seven or eight countries in the region" for its diplomatic approach.
According to Fox News, US officials said the framework agreement with Iran was "95% ready", though negotiations were still ongoing over final wording concerning Tehran's enriched uranium stockpile and the Strait of Hormuz.
One US official reportedly said Washington was unlikely to sign an agreement "today or tomorrow", with Trump favouring an additional five to seven days of negotiations to resolve remaining obstacles.
On the question of Washington's guarantees to abide by any future agreement, Baghaei said: "The guarantee is our strength and the lesson the Iranian people taught the aggressors."
He dismissed Trump's social media threats and cartoons targeting Iran as part of political tactics used "on that side of the world".
Baghaei also confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would not travel to New York for a UN Security Council meeting after failing to obtain a visa from the United States.
In a separate interview with Iranian state media, senior foreign ministry official Hossein Noshabadi denied reports that Tehran had offered concessions over uranium enrichment or the nuclear programme in the draft proposal.
He described claims that Iran agreed to suspend enrichment for 20 years as "pure lies".
Noshabadi said the draft proposal includes ending wars across the region, including in Lebanon, releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, lifting the US naval blockade, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, withdrawing American forces from the region surrounding Iran, and allowing Iran to sell its oil freely.
He said the two sides would have 30 days to reach a final agreement after an initial understanding is signed, with the possibility of a 60-day extension.
Meanwhile, Iranian military officials announced plans to activate new air defence systems following recent confrontations with Israel and the United States. General Ali Abdollahi said Iran's enemies had repeatedly claimed to have destroyed the country's military capabilities. Still, Tehran had demonstrated during the war that its naval, missile and air defence systems remained operational.
Separately, Iran's parliament re-elected conservative politician Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as speaker for a seventh consecutive year, with 235 votes out of 271 lawmakers present.