Iran Says No Progress in US Talks as Lebanon Sees More Clashes

t{zykarij8tc39z2qc7}9ukx_media_dl_1.png Nymex, BI, Bloomberg

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(Bloomberg) — Iran said there had been no recent progress in talks with the US over an interim peace deal, while fighting persisted in Lebanon despite Washington’s declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and the country.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said late Wednesday that “no tangible progress has been achieved in the negotiation process” with the US, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

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His comments came as the US and Iran struggle to finalize the details of a deal that is meant to see the sides extend their truce by two months and Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial ships.

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Tensions remain high and the sides saw their worst skirmishes this week since the ceasefire took hold on April 8. On Wednesday morning, Iran fired missiles and drones at Kuwait and Bahrain — injuring scores of people and killing one person at Kuwait’s main airport — after the US struck an oil tanker headed to the Islamic Republic.

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Still, both Iran and the US broadly say the talks are ongoing and signal they want to reach a deal, which would lead to more and complicated discussions on Tehran’s nuclear program.

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Oil prices dipped slightly on Thursday, with Brent trading 0.8% lower at $97.09 a barrel as of 9:05 a.m. in London.

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Late Wednesday, the US said Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire if Hezbollah also stops fighting and withdraws militants from areas near the border with Israel. The agreement would require the Lebanese army to take over after a withdrawal by Israeli troops, a test of the local military’s ability to keep Hezbollah out.

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It was the latest attempt by US President Donald Trump to keep peace talks with Iran on track and deescalate tensions in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Tehran-backed militant group.

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Iran insists a deal with the US requires a ceasefire in Lebanon but Trump said he’d like to keep the two separate.

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Yet clashes continued in southern Lebanon, much of which is now occupied by Israel, overnight. There were no reports of Hezbollah attacks into northern Israel since the ceasefire announcement.

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The White House said the Lebanon agreement was contingent on “a complete cessation” of attacks by Hezbollah.

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“In that part of the world, ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner,” Trump said Wednesday in reference to the broader Middle East.

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“Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve all outstanding issues, and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries,” according to the statement.

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There was no immediate indication whether Hezbollah had accepted the agreement. Trump earlier this week said he spoke with representatives of Hezbollah and they agreed all shooting would stop.