"Pakistan mediation, message exchange underway for ending U.S.-Iran conflict"

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\r\n[Financial News] The United States and Iran appear to be moving to restart stalled talks aimed at ending their conflict. Pakistan has stepped back in as a mediator, and the two sides are reportedly exchanging private messages. However, major disagreements remain over uranium enrichment and control of the Strait of Hormuz, raising the likelihood of continued friction before any final deal is reached.
On the 22nd local time, Iran's semi-official Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported, "With Pakistan's mediation, the United States and Iran are exchanging messages," adding that the effort is "work to build a framework for an agreement."
A senior Iranian source also said, "We have not yet reached an agreement with the United States," but added that "the differences between the two sides have been narrowed considerably."
Still, the core issues remain unresolved. The source said uranium enrichment and Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz remain the biggest obstacles.
The U.S.-Iran talks, which had shown little progress for some time, are now moving again following a series of recent visits to Tehran by senior Pakistani officials.
Iranian media outlets, including Tasnim News Agency, reported the previous day that Asim Munir, chief of the Pakistan Army, was arriving in Tehran. Munir, considered a key power broker in Pakistan's military, played a central mediation role during the U.S.-Iran talks held in Islamabad on the 8th of last month.
Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan's interior minister, also visited Tehran twice, on the 16th and 20th, meeting separately with Iran's foreign minister and interior minister.
U.S. President Donald Trump is also fueling expectations for a deal. Speaking to reporters at the White House on the 20th, Trump said, "We are in the final stage" regarding Iran, suggesting that progress in the talks may be possible.
Market watchers say the recent stabilization in international oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields also reflects expectations that tensions in the Middle East may ease. Still, there are concerns that if the talks fail to produce a final agreement and the situation slides back into confrontation, risks around the Strait of Hormuz and energy supply disruptions could quickly resurface.
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km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min Reporter