Iran Says Ceasefire Talks Have Entered “Expert-Level” Phase, Core Principles Apparently Agreed

[Financial News]

The Islamic Republic of Iran said on the 11th (local time) that its ceasefire talks with the United States of America (US) have moved into an "expert-level" phase. This suggests that senior officials have already agreed on broad principles and that the two sides are now working out the detailed arrangements.
According to Cable News Network (CNN), the Iranian side wrote on the government’s official X account that the two countries have formed committees in separate fields—economy, military affairs, law, and nuclear issues. It stated that working-level officials and experts are now engaged in expert-level discussions within these committees.
The two sides are currently negotiating in Islamabad in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
In its social media post, the Islamic Republic of Iran said the talks are ongoing and added that negotiators are coordinating the "final technical details."
This indicates that guidelines have likely been set on key demands: the US call to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian demand to unfreeze its blocked funds.
With agreement reached on the major principles or guidelines, it appears that military, financial, and nuclear experts have begun talks on when, how, and through what procedures these agreements will be implemented.
The US military recently announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran began laying naval mines in March. The schedule for clearing those mines and the channels for transferring the unfrozen funds are expected to be finalized in the working-level talks.
The Financial Times (FT) assessed that "the move to the expert level means the negotiations have shifted from political rhetoric to the realm of concrete implementation."
However, the paper also noted that the details still matter. It pointed out that disagreements could emerge during the fine-tuning process at the working level, which could yet shake the political decisions already made.
Former United States Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Brad Cooper analyzed that the US Navy’s mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz were also launched on the basis of a political agreement between the two sides.
Cooper said such military measures fall within a practical domain that would be impossible without political agreement. The fact that experts are discussing them, he added, shows that both sides have a firm intention to reduce military tensions.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that mine-clearing operations had begun, and CENTCOM confirmed that two US warships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz for that purpose.

dympna@fnnews.com Song Kyung-jae Reporter