Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Saturday that Tehran was in the final stages of drafting a framework for a deal to end the war with the United States.

“Within a reasonable period of 30 to 60 days, the details of these points will be discussed and a final agreement will ultimately be concluded. We are currently in the process of finalising these memoranda of understanding,” he told state broadcaster IRIB.

Deal within days

Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was a chance Iran would accept a deal to end the Middle East war as soon as Saturday.

His comments came as Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir arrived in Tehran to bolster mediation, and US President Donald Trump abruptly skipped his son’s wedding to stay in Washington due to “circumstances pertaining to government”, fuelling speculation that talks had entered a sensitive stage.

Rubio said there had been progress in negotiations but did not rule out Trump resuming attacks on Iran.

“There might be some news a little later today. There may not be. I hope there will be,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi during his first visit to India.

“There’s been some progress done, some progress made. Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done,” he said.

“There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say.”

Rubio reiterated US demands that Iran fully open the Strait of Hormuz, on which it has exerted control in response to the US-Israeli attack, and that Iran hand over highly enriched uranium.

Trump’s “preference is always to solve problems such as these through a negotiated diplomatic solution. That’s what we’re working on right now,” Rubio said.

“But this problem will be solved, as the president’s made… clear, one way or the other.”