U.S. and Iranian officials have engaged in dialogue amid recent regional tensions, with Washington expressing cautious optimism about the outcome.

U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Tuesday that ongoing discussions between the United States and Iran appeared “promising,” and expressed hope for a potential long-term agreement.

“We are already talking to each other, not just directly but also through interlocutors,” Witkoff said during an interview on Fox News.

“We are hopeful that we can have a long-term peace agreement that resurrects Iran.”

He added, “Now it’s for us to sit down with the Iranians and get to a comprehensive peace agreement, and I am very confident that we are going to achieve that.”

Since April, indirect talks have been taking place between Washington and Tehran, aimed at addressing concerns around Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran maintains its programme is intended for peaceful purposes, while U.S. officials have stated their goal is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

President Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday between Israel and Iran, following a period of heightened tensions that began on 13 June when Israel carried out airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites.

In the days leading up to the ceasefire, the United States conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and Iran responded by targeting a U.S. base in Qatar.

Israel, which is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons.

Iran, a signatory of the NPT, has repeatedly stated that it does not seek to build nuclear arms.

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