US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated on Wednesday that no deal on Iran’s nuclear file is “on the horizon” despite indirect talks with Tehran, AFP and Agerpres reported.

“There is no deal on the horizon, although we remain open to exploring diplomatic avenues,” Blinken said when asked about it during a debate hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

“They will be judged by the facts,” he added, urging Iran to resolve “not to take steps that increase tensions” with the United States or in the region.

Iran confirmed on June 12 that it would hold indirect talks with the United States through the Sultanate of Oman, the traditional intermediary between the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations.

Those talks have focused on a possible prisoner exchange between the two countries, but there has been speculation about a possible replacement for the Iran nuclear deal, which was struck in 2015 and then denounced by Washington in 2018.

Tehran is demanding the lifting of sanctions that seriously affect its economy, as well as the unblocking of Iranian funds from abroad. The United States, in return, demands that Tehran abandon its nuclear program and enrich uranium.

Blinken said the United States and its partners agreed “in good faith” last summer to return to the nuclear deal, but Iran “failed or failed to do what was necessary.”