Iran's President: This Is the Best Time for a Deal; Vance: Progress in Talks

Iranian President Pezeshkian said this is the best time for a deal, and Vance claimed there is progress in negotiations. General Caine is seeking a "way out" of the war, and a draft agreement with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was reported.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said today (Saturday) that now is the best time to reach a deal, because Iran is "strong and united and appears victorious in the war." The Iranian army spokesman added that the regime we have imposed on the Strait of Hormuz is irreversible, and the United States has no choice but to accept the status quo, otherwise it will suffer heavier losses. In contrast, Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Fox that the Iranians are suffering greatly and want the matter to end, but he questioned whether their system is capable of delivering the necessary things to satisfy the US. He added that it has not yet been decided, but some progress has been made in recent days. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, clarified in private conversations with senior Trump administration officials that a "way out" of the war with Iran must be found, as reported by CNN citing three sources. Caine believes that military options to escalate the fighting could backfire, and that airstrikes alone will not achieve the goals declared by President Trump. He discussed this with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vance. On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran and Oman have completed a draft agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which would give Tehran authority to inspect vessels but not to collect tolls. Meanwhile, the parliament in Tehran is expected to discuss a draft law for strategic control of the strait, including a ban on the passage of vessels linked to the US, Israel, and hostile countries, unless compensation is paid. Additionally, fines of up to 20% of the cargo value will be imposed, and Tehran and Oman intend to collect commissions of up to 7% and 3%, respectively.