Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday the latest talks with the United States saw them agree on “a set of guiding principles” that would pave the way for a deal.

“Ultimately, we were able to reach broad agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will move forward and begin working on the text of a potential agreement,” Araghchi told state TV.

“I can say that, compared with the previous round, fully serious discussions were raised and the atmosphere was more constructive,” he added.

Tehran and Washington held on Tuesday a second round of negotiations — which began earlier this month — after talks last year collapsed following Israel’s attack on Iran in June, which triggered a 12-day war.

That war saw the United States briefly join Israel with strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.

The latest talks were held after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following Iran’s deadly crackdown last month on anti-government protests, first sparked by economic hardships.

During the interview with state TV, Araghchi said the two sides have begun a path towards an agreement, but noted that “this does not mean we can reach a deal quickly”.

“We hope this process can be completed as soon as possible and we are ready to devote sufficient time to it,” he added.

He acknowledged that it “will take time to narrow” the gap between the positions of both sides, “but at least we now have a set of guiding principles and a clearer path to move forward on”.

Khamenei says US ‘will not succeed’ in destroying Iran

Separately, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump would not succeed in destroying the Islamic republic.

“In one of his recent speeches, the US president said that for 47 years America has not succeeded in destroying the Islamic republic … I tell you: you will not succeed either,” Khamenei said in a speech.

During his speech, Khamenei warned that the US warship deployed in the Gulf could be sunk.

“We constantly hear that they have sent a warship towards Iran. A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon, but even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it,” he said.

Khamenei expressed skepticism over the outcome of the negotiations with the US.

“If there are to be negotiations — because there is no real room for negotiation — determining the outcome of the negotiations in advance is a mistake and madness,” he said, referring to US calls for Iran to abandon its nuclear programme.

“The statements of the American president, at times threatening and at times dictating what should and should not be done, reveal a desire to dominate the Iranian nation,” Khamenei said.