Trump to meet with US negotiators to decide on Iran’s ceasefire proposal | Iran

Donald Trump said he will meet with American negotiators today to review Iran’s latest offer and decide whether to strike Iran “until it comes to the kingdom” by Sunday.

Embers I told Axios It was “exactly 50/50” on whether he could make a “good” deal with Iran or start hitting the country again. He will meet with J.D. Vance, as well as special envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner.

Trump is also expected to meet with mediators in the Gulf to discuss the situation with Iran. Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish leaders are expected to attend the talks. A Pakistani security official said a memorandum of understanding to end the war was “fine-tuned,” Reuters reported.

Trump’s interview with Axios came after Iran’s chief negotiator said his national rights would not be compromised during a meeting with Pakistan’s military chief in Tehran early Saturday. Over the past few days, there has been a flurry of diplomacy aimed at preventing new US attacks on Iran and potentially extending the ceasefire.

According to reports in Iranian state media, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagir Galibaf said Tehran would secure its “legitimate rights” whether through the battlefield or through negotiations, while accusing the United States of not being an honest negotiating partner.

During the meeting, Galibaf said, “If Trump acts foolishly and the war starts again, the reaction to the United States will definitely be more crushing and harsh than on the first day of the war.” He added that the Iranian military was rebuilding its capabilities during the ceasefire that began in early April.

His comments came amid reports that the United States was considering a new attack on Iran, at a time when negotiations to establish a permanent ceasefire between the two countries have faltered. The Trump administration was preparing for a new round of strikes. CBS news airing Fridayquoting knowledgeable sources.

Although Trump has frequently threatened to strike Iran if Iran does not reach an agreement with the United States, military analysts have expressed doubts that a renewed air campaign could tip the balance in Washington’s favor.

Amid increasing rhetoric from both sides, Iranian state television reported that Iran was in the “final stages” of preparing the framework for an agreement with the United States.

Pakistan, which has been mediating in the talks between Iran and the USA, has recently pioneered a new initiative to bridge the gap between the two sides. Pakistani army chief Syed Asim Munir also met with Iranian president Massoud Pezeshkian and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday before leaving Tehran.

It was reported that Iran’s 14-article peace proposal as well as messages between the two sides were discussed during the meetings.

A Qatari delegation met with Iranian and Pakistani mediators in Iran on Friday, and on Saturday Trump met with Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss “regional and international efforts to stabilize the ceasefire,” according to a statement from Tamim’s office.

A ceasefire has been in effect since the beginning of April after more than a month of war between the United States, Israel and Iran. The ceasefire was aimed not only at stopping hostilities, but also at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for about one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas resources, and creating space for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program.

Negotiations have made little progress, and the strait remains largely closed despite a ceasefire and mediation efforts.

On Saturday, US secretary of state Marco Rubio expressed cautious optimism about the negotiations. “Some progress has been made, some progress has been made. Even as I speak to you now, there is some work being done,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi during his visit to India. “Some news may come later today. It may not happen. I hope it will happen,” he said.

It’s unclear which “news” Rubio is referring to. On Saturday, mediators said they believed they were close to extending the ceasefire for 60 days and creating a framework for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the talks.

Meanwhile, Iran’s official IRNA news agency quoted Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei as saying that the positions have become closer in recent days.

Embers He met with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the White House It was reported that he would review options for resuming the bombing campaign on Friday. Trump also announced that he will not be able to attend his son’s wedding this weekend for “government-related” reasons.

It is unclear what the target of the renewed bombing campaign will be. In the past, Trump has threatened to destroy “an entire civilization” and targeted civilian infrastructure such as bridges. Israel also attacked energy facilities and damaged desalination facilities during the war in March.

Human rights groups have criticized attacks on civilian infrastructure, saying attacks on public infrastructure could be considered war crimes due to their impact on civilians.

Areas where Iran has a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a key point in the negotiations, could be targeted, but those facilities and other nuclear sites are likely to be deep underground and would require complex operations using tons of bunker-busting bombs.

Iran’s stockpile of unmanned aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles and missile launch sites could also be targets, as they were in the last round of the conflict. Targeted assassinations of Iranian officials may also be on the table.

But analysts have warned that the United States is in a much more vulnerable position than it was at the start of the Iran war.

The Washington Post explained The United States was said to have exhausted most of its stockpile of advanced anti-missile missiles, a key munition it needs to defend its bases and allies in the Middle East.

A large portion of the US public is against the war and is disturbed by rising gasoline prices and inflation as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s popularity has waned, with an approval rating of about 37%, the lowest in history.

It is also unclear how much success the United States actually achieved in the first round of the conflict. Iranian leadership remains in place, and intelligence assessments indicate that 60% of Iran’s missile and drone stockpile remains.