Iran says deal to end fighting with US has 'never been closer'

It added that "final negotiations shall not begin until half of Iran's frozen assets have been released, Iranian oil sanctions have been suspended, and the naval blockade has been lifted". The list of issues included typical Iranian demands, including the end of the Israeli conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.From the US perspective, a senior administrative official told the BBC the Iran deal included the expectation that nuclear material was destroyed and removed and the nuclear program dismantled. The official said that none of Iran's money would released until the Iranians had met US demands, the Strait of Hormuz would be opened and Iran would be expected not to fund terrorist groups - a reference to Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies across the Middle East.US Vice-President JD Vance added his voice later, saying he had noticed "a couple of bizarre things in the reporting over the last few hours"."Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting," Vance said in a post on X. He added that the deal "is structured to ensure that the US and its allies concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region". In his post on X, the Pakistani prime minister acknowledged "incessant misinformation campaign being waged by those who want to sabotage the peace deal" and said "peace has never been this close as it is now".