Iran-US Peace Talks Hit Reality Check: Tehran Says Deal Still Far Off | Exclusive Details

Key Takeaways

• Iran-US Peace Talks Hit Reality Check: Tehran Says Deal Still Far Off | Exclusive Details Reported By, Last Updated: May 23, 2026, 05:37 IST Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said despite ongoing high-level mediation, operational and ideological gaps between Tehran and Washington remain 'deep and significant' Pakistan has increasingly emerged as a key intermediary in the negotiations between the two sides.
• (Photos: PTI + X) Tempering the wave of intense diplomatic optimism sweeping through regional capitals, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has issued a stark reality check on backchannel peace negotiations with the United States.
• In an official briefing broadcasted via state media, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei clarified that despite ongoing high-level mediation, the operational and ideological gaps between Tehran and Washington remain “deep and significant".
• Baghaei directly pushed back against reports of an imminent breakthrough, stating that the negotiations are not yet “close" to a final resolution.
• He added that it remains highly difficult to predict whether a comprehensive truce will be formalised “over a matter of weeks or months", highlighting a profound, lingering trust deficit aggravated by past ceasefire violations and continuous military posturing in the Gulf corridors.