Iran said on Saturday (May 23, 2026) it was finalising a 14-point framework for a deal with the United States, signalling some convergence in positions while cautioning that major gaps remain.

“Our intention was first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on state television.

Iran-Israel war LIVE

He pointed to what he described as “a trend towards rapprochement” with Washington, but added that “it does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on the important issues”.

Mr. Baqaei said he hoped the details of a final agreement could be worked out “within a reasonable timeframe between 30 to 60 days” after the framework is finalised.

The remarks came following a visit to Iran by Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, who has been acting as a mediator between Tehran and Washington in efforts aimed at ending the war.

The conflict broke out on February 28 with Israeli-U.S. strikes that killed senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region.

Since a fragile ceasefire took effect on April 8, the two sides have held a single round of talks that failed to culminate in a deal and have since exchanged proposals aimed at ending the conflict.

Mr. Baqaei said the primary focus of the framework under discussion was “ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon”, as well as ending what Iran describes as a US naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports since April 13.

He added that arrangements concerning the strategic Strait of Hormuz were part of the draft framework, without elaborating.

Traffic through Hormuz, a vital global shipping route, has come under Iranian control since the outbreak of the war.

Iran, which has only allowed a trickle of ships to pass through the strait, has insisted that vessels obtain permission from its armed forces before transiting the waterway.

“The Strait of Hormuz has nothing to do with the United States. A mechanism for the strait should be defined between Iran and Oman as coastal states,” Mr. Baqaei said.

He said the framework did not include details on Iran’s nuclear programme — a key sticking point for Washington — and that the issue would be “subject to separate discussions” at a later stage.

Mr. Baqaei added that Iran’s longstanding demand for sanctions relief was included in the framework text, though the issue had likewise not yet been addressed in detail because nuclear matters were not currently under detailed discussion.

“It is also one of the points that we will need to examine in detail in the near future,” he said.

The ongoing West Asia conflict has highlighted India’s structural vulnerability to energy shocks, reinforcing the need to reduce dependence on imported crude and accelerate efforts to strengthen energy security, according to an external member of the RBI’s rate-setting panel.

Nagesh Kumar, who is the director of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development and also a part of the Monetary Policy Committee, said the Indian approach needs to focus both on stepping up oil exploration domestically and hastening the transition to alternative sources.

“The high dependence on imported crude makes the Indian economy highly vulnerable to volatility in the hydrocarbons market. While India’s macroeconomic fundamentals remain resilient, and the Indian economy will continue to remain the fastest growing major economy with a growth rate of nearly 7% in 2026-27, it is time to prioritise energy security and resilience for sustaining the accelerating economic growth trajectory,” Mr. Kumar said in an interview with PTI.

The Congress on Friday (May 1, 2026) slammed the Narendra Modi Government over the latest price hike for commercial LPG cylinders, with Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi calling it the “bill for elections”.

Attacking the steep increase in commercial LPG prices, Mr. Gandhi said the hike — the largest ever in a single day — was proof that the burden of inflation would intensify after elections.

Hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open”, Indian ships stranded in the Persian Gulf started sailing out of the Strait.

The Hindu has been tracking Indian-flagged vessels and ships bound for India in the Persian Gulf for the past month. Most of these ships are critical to India’s energy needs and are carrying crude oil.

India has ramped up supply of smaller 5-kg LPG cylinders and accelerated the rollout of piped natural gas (PNG) connections as it manages fuel availability amid disruptions triggered by the West Asia conflict.

More than 13 lakh 5-kg free trade LPG cylinders have been sold since March 23, with daily sales rising above 100,000 units, as authorities expand access for migrant workers and low-income consumers, according to an official statement.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said there is no shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in the state, accusing Congress of spreading panic that has led to long queues at LPG distribution centres.

“The long queues are not because of the lack of shortage of LPG but the panic Congress has created, confusing people, forcing them to stand in line. The central government, secretaries have clarified that there is no shortage by Congress conspiring to mislead the country,” said Mr. Fadnavis, who also holds the Home Minister portfolio. 

He slammed Congress for instigating people and insulting the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking to the media in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district.

Mr. Fadnavis’ statement comes at a time when people are waiting in line for LPG cylinders, facing technical issues in booking the cylinders, facing delays in cylinder deliveries, and a price hike. The hospitality sector has been hit as the Centre restricted the commercial supply, prioritising the domestic supply.

Congress in Maharashtra has staged a protest against the price hike as oil marketing companies hiked the price of a 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder by Rs 60 and commercial cylinder by Rs 115 on March 7, and the government’s improper management of the smooth supply.

Taking a dig at Mr. Modi, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad questioned where are those who thumped 56-inch chests, when citizens are forced to stand in queue in scorching heat for an LPG cylinder on the X.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also criticised the BJP government for failing to address the issue, saying they are busy in the election campaign and have remained silent when at least 40 hotels in the industry have shut down due to the shortage.

“PM Modi has always answered the opposition with action. Top leaders in the US have appreciated him for his ability to bring unanimity among the countries, but leaders in our country are humiliating him, which should stop.