Iran does not want the war to drag on, the country's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday.
"We do not seek to expand the war or continue it," Pezeshkian said , according to Iran International.
At the same time, Pezeshkian stressed that Iran will continue to defend its borders.
The statement came after conflicting reports about ongoing negotiations. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that negotiations with Iran are underway. Iran, for its part, denies this.
Hormuz Agreement
However, negotiations between Iran and Oman on reopening the strait are ongoing, according to Iran's Foreign Ministry. According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US is "involved" in the talks.
"There has been progress but nothing is finalized yet. We hope that will happen in the near future," Rubio said, AFP reports.
Earlier on Tuesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there is a chance that an agreement will be reached as early as Wednesday.
"We are in talks with the Iranians," Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.
The US reimposed a naval blockade on Iran in the Persian Gulf after the US-Iran peace agreement collapsed in mid-July.
Qatar: No direct calls
A draft of a possible temporary settlement regarding the broader conflict between the US and Iran is reportedly "circulating," according to the mediating country Qatar, CNN reports.
"We can confirm that efforts are still being made with all parties," said Majed Al Ansari, spokesman for Qatar's Foreign Ministry, AFP writes.
The focus is on finding a short-term solution that can help us restart negotiations, to return to comprehensive mediation.
No direct talks between Iran and the US are planned, according to Qatar.
