Iran-US deal still out of reach despite diplomatic push, Iranian official says

Iran and the United States remain far from reaching a deal to end the ongoing conflict, despite heightened diplomatic efforts, according to a senior Iranian official. The US carried out defensive strikes on Iran's Qeshm island overnight, targeting surface-to-air missiles used against US assets, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have downed a US MQ-9 drone in the Strait of Hormuz.

Mediators are working to narrow gaps between Tehran and Washington, with Qatari mediators visiting Tehran for talks on a draft US-Iran deal. However, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that Tehran's conditions must be met before nuclear talks can begin and that the US must not accept Washington's excessive demands.

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