With US bombers at the ready, can Trump cut a deal with Iran and avoid a war?
The United States and Iran are once again on a collision course over the
Iranian nuclear program. In a letter dated early March, US President Donald
Trump urged Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to negotiate a
new deal.
The new deal would replace the defunct nuclear agreement
negotiated in 2015 between the United States, Iran and five other global
powers. Trump withdrew from that agreement, called the Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action (JCPOA), during his first term.
Trump gave the Iranians a
two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear deal. If they don’t, the US will
bomb the country. In recent days, American B-2 bombers and warships have
been deployed to the region in a show of force. In response, Tehran has
agreed only to indirect negotiations. It has ruled out any direct talks
while under a US policy of “maximum pressure”.
Khamenei and his
generals have promised a “harsh response” to any military venture. Iran
has vowed to target all American bases in the region. France, one of key
negotiators in the 2015 deal, said this week a failure to secure a new deal
would make a military confrontation “almost inevitable”. In a positive
sign, however, Washington is reportedly “seriously considering” Iran’s
offer for indirect negotiations. And Trump is now suggesting Iran may
actually be open to direct talks.
The Conversation 5th April 2025 https://theconversation.com/with-us-bombers-at-the-ready-can-trump-cut-a-deal-with-iran-and-avoid-a-war-253828
Military confrontation ‘almost inevitable’ if Iran nuclear talks fail: French FM
Daily Mail 3rd April 2025 AFP
‘Our priority is to reach an agreement that verifiably and durably constrains the Iranian nuclear program,’ Jean-Noel Barrot told lawmakers
France’s foreign minister warned on Wednesday that a military confrontation with Iran would be “almost inevitable” if talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme failed.
“In the event of failure, a military confrontation would appear to be almost inevitable,” Jean-Noel Barrot said in parliament, adding that it would severely destabilise the region.
Earlier Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron chaired a meeting on Iran.
US President Donald Trump has threatened that Iran will be bombed if it persists in developing nuclear weapons. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has promised to hit back………………………………………………………. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-14564181/Military-confrontation-inevitable-Iran-nuclear-talks-fail-French-FM.html
Trump’s bombing threat over Iran nuclear programme prompts backlash
Guardian, Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor, 31 Mar 25
Iranian officials accuse US president of breaching UN charter and say ‘violence brings violence’
Iran has reacted with outrage after Donald Trump said the country will be bombed if it does not accept US demands to constrain its nuclear programme.
The US president said on Sunday that if Iran “[doesn’t] make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”.
Trump’s latest threat – more explicit and violent than any made before – came after he sent a letter to Iran, as yet undisclosed, offering to hold talks on its nuclear programme. Iran had sent a reply to the US stating it was willing to hold indirect talks, officials confirmed.
Esmail Baghaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, said of Trump’s threat: “The explicit threat of bombing Iran by the head of a country is clear contradiction to the essence of international peace and security.
Such a threat is a gross violation of the United Nations charter and a violation of the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards regime. Violence brings violence and peace creates peace, America can choose.”
The supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a sceptic about talks with the US, said Iran was “not overly concerned” by Trump’s words. “We consider it unlikely that such harm would come from outside. However, if any malicious act does occur, it will certainly be met with a firm
and decisive response,” he said.
Brig Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace force, said: “Someone in glass houses does not throw stones at anyone,” adding: “The Americans have at least 10 bases with 50,000 troops in the region, meaning they are sitting in a glass house.”
But the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, clearly had authority to keep the prospect of talks alive, saying Iran had already replied to the Trump letter through intermediaries in Oman and adding he knew the Iranian letter had now reached the US. Araghchi said direct talks were not possible while the US continued to threaten and bully Iran………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/31/trumps-bombing-threat-over-iran-nuclear-programme-prompts-backlash
Iran rejects direct nuclear talks with Trump, open to indirect negotiations
US president threatens Iran with bombings if Tehran does not come to a nuclear agreement with Washington.
Aljazeera, 30 Mar 25
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ruled out direct negotiations with the administration of US President Donald Trump over the country’s nuclear programme but signalled a willingness for indirect talks, while Trump threatened bombings and secondary tariffs if Tehran does not come to an agreement with Washington.
“We responded to the US president’s letter via Oman and rejected the option of direct talks, but we are open to indirect negotiations,” Pezeshkian said during a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Sunday.
He stressed that while Iran is not against negotiations in principle, Washington must first rectify its past “misconduct” and rebuild trust.
His remarks, reported by the ISNA news agency, come amid escalating tensions between the two nations.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said in a telephone interview with NBC on Sunday.
“But there’s a chance that if they don’t make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago.”
Barbara Slavin, a fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington and a lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera that “the Iranians are, right to be distrustful, given Trump’s track record and withdrawing from a previous deal”.
Trump has even signalled willingness to lift sanctions if nuclear and regional issues are resolved, but his ability to secure a deal is uncertain, said Slavin.
“The Iranians are worried, but mostly about the economic impact of Trump’s sanctions, the resumption and increase in economic sanctions, which we’ve already seen. The Iranian currency has depreciated dramatically. There’s high inflation and unemployment, and I think this frankly worries the Iranians more than a physical attack, which if anything, might unify the country,” she added.
“The US has moved additional bombers to Diego Garcia. It’s got another aircraft carrier apparently coming into the region. So it is well positioned to carry out some sort of military action, possibly in conjunction with the Israelis if there isn’t movement toward a diplomatic settlement,” Slavin said……………………………………………………https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/30/iran-rejects-direct-nuclear-talks-with-trump-open-to-indirect-negotiations
Iran rejects direct talks with the US over its nuclear programme
IRAN will not hold direct negotiations with the United States over its
nuclear programme, President Masoud Pezeshkian said today. Commenting on a
letter sent by US President Donald Trump to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei, Mr Pezeshkian said Iran’s response, delivered via Oman, left
open the possibility of indirect negotiations with Washington.
However, such talks have made no progress since Mr Trump, during his first term in
the White House, unilaterally withdrew the US from Tehran’s nuclear deal
with world powers in 2018. The Iranian president told a cabinet meeting:
“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused
issues for us so far. “They must prove that they can build trust.”
Morning Star 30th March 2025, https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/iran-rejects-direct-talks-us-over-its-nuclear-programme
Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Bombing’ If Nuclear Deal Is Not Reached
no evidence Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon or that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reversed his 2003 fatwah that banned the production of weapons of mass destruction.
The threat comes after US intelligence agencies reaffirmed that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon
by Dave DeCamp March 30, 2025, https://news.antiwar.com/2025/03/30/trump-threatens-iran-with-bombing-if-no-nuclear-deal-is-reached/
President Trump on Sunday threatened to bomb Iran if a deal isn’t reached on the country’s civilian nuclear program.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview.
The president has made similar threats toward Iran, but Sunday’s marked the most explicit one yet, and it comes as the US is sending more bombers to the region and pounding Yemen with daily airstrikes. Trump also said the US could hit Iran with “secondary tariffs” if a deal isn’t reached.
Trump’s threat comes after US intelligence agencies said in their annual threat assessment that there’s no evidence Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon or that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reversed his 2003 fatwah that banned the production of weapons of mass destruction.
Iran recently responded to a letter Trump sent to Khamenei proposing nuclear talks and giving Tehran a two-month deadline to reach a deal. A US official told Axios that the deployment of US B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia was “not disconnected” from that deadline.
Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected the idea of direct talks with the US in the face of Trump’s so-called “maximum pressure campaign” but have left the door open to indirect negotiations.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that Iran’s response to Trump’s letter made indirect talks possible but that the US’s behavior would determine how things would move forward.
“While Iran’s response rules out the possibility of direct talks between the two sides, it states that the path for indirect negotiations remains open,” Pezeshkian said. Iranian officials have been noting the fact that Trump was the one who tore up the 2015 nuclear deal by reimposing sanctions on Iran.
“As we have stated before, Iran has never closed the channels of indirect communication. In its response, Iran reaffirmed that it has never shied away from engaging in negotiations, but rather, it has just been the United States’ repeated violations of agreements and commitments that have created problems on this path,” Pezeshkian said.
“It’s the behavior of the Americans that will determine whether the negotiations can move forward,” the Iranian leader added. In his interview with NBC, Trump said that US and Iranian officials were talking but didn’t elaborate further.
Trump warns of ‘bad, bad things’ for Iran if nuclear deal not reached
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202503289286 29 Mar 25
AS president Donald Trump warned Iran on Friday that “bad, bad things” would happen if Tehran did not agree to a nuclear deal, a day after Iran declined to have direct talks under his stepped-up sanctions.
“My big preference … is we work it out with Iran. But if we don’t work it out, bad, bad things are going to happen to Iran,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
This is what Trump said he conveyed in his letter to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei last week.
Tehran confirmed on Wednesday that a response to the letter had been sent via Oman.
“Our policy remains not to engage in direct negotiations under maximum pressure and military threats. However, indirect negotiations as existed in the past can continue,” foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said.
Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon but the UN’s nuclear watchdog says it has enriched more uranium than any state lacking a bomb. While Washington assesses Tehran is not actively building one, it doubts Iranian intentions.
Trump last month reinstated the “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions on Iran from his first term, with the stated aim of driving its oil sales to zero.
Trump’s remarks come as Iran’s parliament speaker on Friday accused the US of using nuclear talks to pressure Tehran into relinquishing its defense capabilities.
“The US means disarmament when it says negotiation,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a speech during Quds Day rallies in Tehran on Friday. “Our people understand that talks under threat are just a show to impose their will. No wise nation would accept that.”
His comments were echoed by other senior Iranian officials speaking at Quds Day events showcasing Tehran’s solidarity with Palestinians, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Larijani.
US seeks full dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, Trump’s advisor says
Iran International 23rd March 2025,
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202503231237
The Trump administration is seeking full dismantlement of Iranian nuclear program in a way that the entire world can see, White House National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told CBS News on Sunday.
“It is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear weapon. And they will not, and cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapons program, that’s enrichment, weaponization, and its strategic missile program,” Waltz said.
“The President has all options on the table. But we want to be clear, this isn’t some kind of, you know, kind of tit for tat that we had under the Obama administration, or Biden. This is the full program. Give it up, or there will be consequences,” he added.
His comments came in contrast to the much more conciliatory tone of Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who spoke of the US president’s intention to resolve Iran’s nuclear dispute diplomatically.
Earlier this month, Trump wrote a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an attempt to explore a new nuclear agreement and prevent military escalation, Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday.
“We don’t need to solve everything militarily,” Witkoff said.
He emphasized that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, saying, “It cannot happen and it will not happen.”
“Our signal to Iran is let’s sit down and see if we can, through dialogue, through diplomacy, get to the right place. If we can, we are prepared to do that. And if we can’t, the alternative is not a great alternative.”
On Friday, Witkoff told the Tucker Carlson show, “We should talk. We should clear up the misconceptions. We should create a verification program so that nobody worries about weaponization of your nuclear material.”
He also said Trump believes the issue “has a real possibility of being solved diplomatically” and “acknowledged that he’s open to an opportunity to clean it all up with Iran.”
His remarks raised questions about the Trump’s administration’s approach toward Iran, as Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor, Michael Waltz, have taken a much tougher stance, insisting over the past few weeks that Iran’s nuclear program must be dismantled and that Iran will face military action unless it complies with US demands.
Trump’s threats reignite talk of nuclear bombs in Iran
Trump is still met with defiance from the leadership in Tehran as he threatens military strikes against Iran.
Aljazeera, By Maziar Motamedi, 19 Mar 2025
Tehran, Iran – The latest threats of military action against Iran by United States President Donald Trump have prompted more discussions about the possibility of Iran abandoning nuclear non-proliferation.
Senior White House officials have again said Iran must do away with its nuclear programme entirely, leaving all uranium enrichment activity, even at low levels.
Amid intense US air strikes on Yemen, Trump has also said the US will hold Tehran responsible for any attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, dismissing Iran’s insistence that the group operates independently.
This has only led to more calls from within Iran to abandon its officially stated policy that it will never pursue nuclear weapons.
‘Nuclear year’
On Tuesday, Vatan-e Emrooz, a top daily newspaper run by ultraconservatives, marked the upcoming end of the Iranian year on March 20 by saying more countries will ponder nuclear bombs for their security as a result of Trump’s policies.
“Nuclear year”, read its headline, complete with an image of a massive nuclear explosion.
Nournews, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said there will be “no guarantees” Iran will not abandon the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if Trump and his team keep threatening.
Ahmad Naderi, a member of the presiding board of the Iranian parliament, told a public session of the assembly last week that “perhaps it is time for us to rethink our nuclear, military and security doctrine”.
The Tehran lawmaker has also previously backed testing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, claiming “there will be no balance in the region” unless Iran possesses a bomb
Such calls have increasingly gained favour among hardline factions in Iran, echoing a sentiment that the establishment is prepared to dash for a bomb if its existence is threatened.
Last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose religious ruling currently bars Iran from seeking weapons of mass destruction, also commented.
“If we wanted to make nuclear weapons, America could not stop us. If we do not have nuclear weapons and are not pursuing them, it is because we do not want it,” Khamenei said.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which carries out inspections of Iranian nuclear sites, Iran has amassed enough fissile material for multiple bombs but has made no effort to build one.
On the same page with China, Russia
In the years since Trump’s 2018 unilateral withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, Washington’s European allies have become increasingly hawkish on the Iranian nuclear programme.
They have pushed Iran to curb its nuclear advances despite no prospects of lifting sanctions, introduced censure resolutions at the board of the global nuclear watchdog, and demanded more answers over several nuclear-related cases – some dating back two decades.
Years of escalation over Tehran’s cooperation with the IAEA, in addition to European anger over Iran’s closer ties with Moscow in light of the Ukraine war, have prompted Iran to maintain closer coordination with China and Russia.
The three countries have been holding talks in Beijing to present a more unified approach on the Iranian nuclear issue, especially over sanctions.
France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the European powers still party to the Iranian nuclear accord of 2015, continue to threaten to activate its “snapback” mechanism to reinstate all United Nations sanctions against Iran.
China and Russia oppose the move.
The E3 have said they are pursuing the snapback because they are concerned about the use of advanced centrifuges to enrich high-purity uranium, alleged non-compliance with the nuclear accord, and alleged provision of ballistic missiles by Iran to Russia.
Iran has strongly rejected that it delivered missiles to Russia, and has maintained that it only sent some drones to Russia months before the start of the war.
Iranian officials also held talks with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi this week, and the country objected to what it called “an unwarranted interference” in its engagements with the IAEA after the United Nations Security Council held a meeting over its nuclear programme.
The closed-door meeting prompted Iran’s foreign ministry to summon the E3 ambassadors to protest against “misuse” of the UNSC mechanism.
The White House said on Tuesday that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call that “Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel”
Trump letter, threats
The US president’s threat that “every shot” fired by the Houthis in Yemen will be viewed as an attack from Iran has escalated tensions.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Iran provides “so-called intelligence” to the Houthis, which has been viewed in Iranian media and online as a potential military threat against Iran’s Zagros warship, inaugurated in January.
The Iranian army in a statement on Tuesday rejected speculation that had circulated online claiming that the Zagros was hit with any projectiles, and said the warship was safely anchored at Bandar Abbas in Iran’s southern waters…………………..more https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/19/trumps-threats-reignite-talk-of-nuclear-bombs-in-iran
China, Russia back Iran as Trump presses Tehran for nuclear talks
By Ryan Woo, Xiuhao Chen and Laurie Chen, March 14, 2025,
- Summary
- China, Russia, Iran say talks should be based on mutual respect
- They say ‘unlawful’ unilateral sanctions should be lifted
- China, Russia urge respect for Iran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy
BEIJING, March 14 (Reuters) – China and Russia stood by Iran on Friday after the United States demanded nuclear talks with Tehran, with senior Chinese and Russian diplomats saying dialogue should only resume based on “mutual respect” and all sanctions ought to be lifted.
In a joint statement issued after talks with Iran in Beijing, China and Russia also said they welcomed Iran’s reiteration that its nuclear programme was exclusively for peaceful purposes, and that Tehran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be “fully” respected………………………………………………… https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-iran-russia-kick-off-talks-beijing-over-irans-nuclear-issues-2025-03-14/
Dialogue only viable option to solve Iranian nuclear issue
Diplomacy must remain the primary tool for resolving disputes and crises, and not be used only as a last resort after aggressive policies have failed
Xinhua, Editor: huaxia, 2025-03-15 more https://english.news.cn/20250315/0e246e2703d64d58a08113de887e3932/c.html
The Iranian nuclear issue is not just about Iran — it is a test of whether global governance will be defined by cooperation or coercion.
BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) — In a world fraught with geopolitical tensions, the Iranian nuclear issue is a critical test of the international community’s commitment to peace, diplomacy and multilateralism.
Whether diplomacy prevails or “maximum pressure” tactics take center stage will shape the region’s stability and set a precedent for global non-proliferation efforts.
The joint statement issued by China, Russia and Iran on Friday after a trilateral meeting in Beijing reaffirms a shared conviction: political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue are not merely preferable but the only viable and practical option to address this complex challenge.
At the heart of the discussions was a shared commitment to rejecting unilateral sanctions and coercive measures. Diplomacy must remain the primary tool for resolving disputes and crises, and not be used only as a last resort after aggressive policies have failed.
In an increasingly complex and fragile international environment, relying on sanctions and military posturing is not only counterproductive but also dangerously short-sighted, promoting instability rather than fostering meaningful engagement.
A sustainable resolution requires a holistic approach, one that balances nuclear non-proliferation with the legitimate right to peaceful nuclear energy. While Iran must continue to uphold its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, all parties must also fully respect its right to civilian nuclear programs, as recognized under international law.
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) once demonstrated the power of dialogue, proving that even the most entrenched disputes can yield to diplomacy when all parties engage in good faith.
However, the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement and its subsequent “maximum pressure” campaign have left the JCPOA in jeopardy.
Xinhua Commentary: Dialogue only viable option to solve Iranian nuclear issue
Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2025-03-15 09:43:15
The Iranian nuclear issue is not just about Iran — it is a test of whether global governance will be defined by cooperation or coercion.
BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) — In a world fraught with geopolitical tensions, the Iranian nuclear issue is a critical test of the international community’s commitment to peace, diplomacy and multilateralism.
Whether diplomacy prevails or “maximum pressure” tactics take center stage will shape the region’s stability and set a precedent for global non-proliferation efforts.
The joint statement issued by China, Russia and Iran on Friday after a trilateral meeting in Beijing reaffirms a shared conviction: political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue are not merely preferable but the only viable and practical option to address this complex challenge.
At the heart of the discussions was a shared commitment to rejecting unilateral sanctions and coercive measures. Diplomacy must remain the primary tool for resolving disputes and crises, and not be used only as a last resort after aggressive policies have failed.
In an increasingly complex and fragile international environment, relying on sanctions and military posturing is not only counterproductive but also dangerously short-sighted, promoting instability rather than fostering meaningful engagement.
A sustainable resolution requires a holistic approach, one that balances nuclear non-proliferation with the legitimate right to peaceful nuclear energy. While Iran must continue to uphold its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, all parties must also fully respect its right to civilian nuclear programs, as recognized under international law.
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) once demonstrated the power of dialogue, proving that even the most entrenched disputes can yield to diplomacy when all parties engage in good faith.
However, the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement and its subsequent “maximum pressure” campaign have left the JCPOA in jeopardy.
Against this backdrop, China’s call to uphold the JCPOA as the foundation for renewed consensus is both practical and visionary. The agreement remains a rare diplomatic achievement that balances Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy with non-proliferation imperatives — a balance that must guide future diplomatic efforts.
By advocating for a process rooted in respect rather than ultimatums, China seeks to bridge divides and restore the JCPOA’s original spirit.
The trilateral meeting came after six of the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s 15 members — the United States, France, Greece, Panama, South Korea and Britain — met behind closed doors on the Iranian nuclear issue.
This exclusive gathering raises concerns about the politicization of the issue. What is needed now is dialogue and cooperation, rather than an imposed intervention by the Security Council.
Under the current circumstances, a hasty intervention by the Security Council will not help build trust or bridge differences. Meanwhile, triggering a snap-back of sanctions would undo years of diplomatic efforts.
A step-by-step and reciprocal approach is urgently needed. Instead of escalating tensions through unilateral measures, major countries should focus on restoring trust and ensuring compliance through engagement.
The Iranian nuclear issue is not just about Iran — it is a test of whether global governance will be defined by cooperation or coercion.
High stakes as Iran nuclear issue reaches crunch moment
Caroline Hawley, BBC diplomatic correspondent, BBC 14th March 2025
Almost a decade since world powers sealed a historic deal to limit the Iranian nuclear programme, this is a crunch moment for Iran and the international community.
The country is now closer than ever to being able to make a nuclear bomb.
And the agreement – designed to prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon – expires later this year.
“It’s a real fork in the road moment,” says Dr Sanam Vakil of the London-based think tank Chatham House. “Without meaningful and successful diplomacy we could see Iran weaponise or we could see a military strike against the Islamic Republic.”
The deal, painstakingly negotiated over nearly two years under Barack Obama’s presidency, imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities in return for relief from sanctions that crippled the country’s economy.
But after Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement in 2018 during his first presidency and reinstated US sanctions, Iran gradually stopped complying with its commitments.
It has accelerated its enrichment of uranium – used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs – to close to weapons-grade.
Experts say it would now take Iran less than a week to enrich enough material to make a single nuclear weapon.
Hence a flurry of urgent diplomatic activity by the US and the five other parties to the deal – the UK, China, France, Germany and Russia.
A closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council discussed Iran’s nuclear programme on Wednesday.
And China is hosting talks with Iran and Russia on Friday in search of a “diplomatic” resolution.
“In the current situation, we believe that all parties should maintain calm and restraint to avoid escalating the Iran nuclear situation, or even walking towards confrontation and conflict,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said this week.
On Wednesday, a letter from President Trump was delivered in Tehran by a senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates.
The contents have not been made public.
But President Trump, after imposing new sanctions on Iran as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign, last week issued a televised ultimatum to Iran: make a deal or else.
“I’ve written them a letter saying, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing,'” he said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appeared to reject the idea of talks with a “bullying” US.
So too – publicly – has President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had previously supported a resurrection of the nuclear deal, in return for an end to sanctions.
But the country has been sending out mixed messages.
“There are camps inside the country that favour negotiations,” says Dr Vakil. “And there are camps that see weaponisation as the best opportunity for Iran to manage its security.”
Trust in the Trump administration is in very short supply.
“They have seen his erratic, very bullying approach to [Ukraine’s President Volodymyr] Zelensky. And his outlandish proposals on Gaza and they don’t want to be put in that position,” Dr Vakil adds.
Iran hates the humiliation of having a gun held to its head. But it is currently vulnerable – weakened militarily by Israeli air strikes last year, which are believed to have destroyed most of the air defences protecting its nuclear programme.
Israel has long wanted to take the facilities out.
Iranian authorities continue to insist the country’s nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
But concern in the international community is becoming increasingly acute……………………………………………………… https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c86pvyd2qeno
US Threatens Possible Military Response After Tehran Rejects Nuclear Outreach
The White House again warned Tehran that it can be dealt with either through military means or by reaching a deal over its nuclear program, remarks that came hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a US proposal for negotiations between the two bitter rivals.
“We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror,” White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on March 9 while reiterating remarks by President Donald Trump that “if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing.”
In an interview with Fox Business recorded on March 6, Trump said, “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal” to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I’ve written them a letter saying, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing,'” Trump said.
“I would rather negotiate a deal. I’m not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily,” Trump added.
“But the time is happening now. The time is coming up. Something’s going to happen one way or the other.”
Snippets of the interview were aired on March 7, but the full sit-down will be broadcast on March 9, Fox said.
In separate comments to reporters, Trump said: “We have a situation with Iran that, something’s going to happen very soon. Very, very soon.”
Ali Khamenei, speaking on March 8 to a group of Iranian officials — without specifically mentioning Trump or the United States — said, “Their talks are not aimed at solving problems.”
“It is for…’Let’s talk to impose what we want on the other party that is sitting on the opposite side of the table.'”
“The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues…. Talks for them is a pathway to have new demands; it is not only about Iran’s nuclear issue…. Iran will definitely not accept their expectations,” Khamenei was quoted by state media as saying.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on March 8 said Tehran had not yet received a letter from Trump……………………………… more https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-trump-nuclear-khamenei-negotiations/33341412.html
Israel seen as likely to attack Iran’s nuclear programme by midyear
Reuters, February 13, 2025, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-israel-seen-as-likely-to-attack-iran-by-midyear/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIweXtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTyVoerHeMoOkbmz2sR-4a0lveMK8ur9BHOtpEZn2L3SWnF0gbx4LTMdwQ_aem_FR1Zy_kD1oyRJKFZoi095Q
U.S. intelligence warns that Israel is likely to launch a pre-emptive attack on Iran’s nuclear program by midyear, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing multiple intelligence reports.
Such an attack would set back Iran’s nuclear program by weeks or months while escalating tension in the region and risking a wider conflict, according to multiple intelligence reports from the end of the Biden administration and start of the Trump administration, the newspaper reported.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The White House declined to comment. The Post said the Israeli government, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.
Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told the Post that President Donald Trump “will not permit Iran to get a nuclear weapon.”
“While he prefers negotiating a resolution to American’s long-standing issues with the Iranian regime peacefully, he will not wait indefinitely if Iran isn’t willing to deal, and soon,” Hughes told The Post.
The most comprehensive of the intelligence reports came in early January and was produced by the intelligence directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Post said.
It warned that Israel was likely to attempt an attack on Iran’s Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities.
Current and former U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence said Israel has determined its bombing of Iran in October degraded Iran’s air defences and left the country exposed to a follow-on assault, said the Post, which did not name the officials.
Iran and Israel engaged in tit-for-tat strikes last year amid wider tensions over Israel’s war in Gaza.
The intelligence reports envisioned two potential strike options that each would involve the United States providing aerial refuelling support and intelligence, the Post said.
Trump told Fox News in an interview that aired on Monday he would prefer to make a deal with Iran to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon, saying he also believed Iran would prefer a deal over an armed conflict.
“Everyone thinks Israel, with our help or our approval, will go in and bomb the hell out of them. I would prefer that not happen,” Trump said.
The United States under President Barack Obama and European allies negotiated an agreement with Iran to halt its nuclear program, but Trump in his first term in office, encouraged by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, withdrew the United States from the landmark accord and ordered sanctions reimposed on Tehran in 2018.
Iran has since restarted its nuclear program and is enriching uranium, according to the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran, Britain, France and Germany have met in Geneva to search for a way to resume nuclear talks, Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Iran’s state TV in January.
Iran on ‘high alert’ amid fears of attack on nuclear sites
Officials say measures are in response to growing concerns of potential joint military action by Israel and US
Iran has put its defence systems around its nuclear sites on high alert amid fears of an attack by Israel and the US, The Telegraph has learnt…
According to two high-level government sources, the Islamic Republic has
also been bolstering defences around key nuclear and missile sites, which
include the deployment of additional air defence system launchers.
Officials say the measures are in response to growing concerns of potential
joint military action by Israel and the United States.
Telegraph 25th Feb 2025, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/02/25/iran-missile-defences-high-alert-attack-fears-us-israel/
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