US pushes for Iran deal as tensions stay high

The United States says it is close to a deal with Iran, even as military pressure across the Gulf remains in place.

President Donald Trump said the conflict could end soon, while US media reported details of a draft agreement aimed at restarting wider talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.

According to Axios, the proposal includes limits on uranium enrichment, the easing of US sanctions and the reopening of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran says it is still reviewing the offer. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai said Tehran would pass its response through Pakistani mediators.

Trump warned that military action could resume if talks fail, but markets reacted positively to signs of diplomacy. Oil prices fell sharply, while stock markets in the US and Asia moved higher.

The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the crisis. Around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes through the waterway.