President Trump said Wednesday he is optimistic about reaching a nuclear accord with Iran, claiming the U.S. and Tehran have had productive conversations in recent days. Speaking at a White House event, Trump suggested a breakthrough could happen within the next seven days, though he also indicated he was not wedded to a specific deadline.
The White House is waiting for Iran to respond to a one-page memorandum of understanding that would establish a framework to end the current conflict and pave the way for detailed negotiations on nuclear issues. U.S. officials expect Tehran to provide its response within the next 24 to 48 hours.
"We are not far, but there is no deal yet," one U.S. official said. However, other officials within the administration remain skeptical that an agreement will materialize.
Trump's chief envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have been directly negotiating with Iranian officials and working through intermediaries on the deal. The one-page proposal contains 14 key provisions, including Iran agreeing to freeze nuclear enrichment, the United States lifting economic sanctions and releasing billions in frozen Iranian assets, and both nations removing restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House is pushing for a deal to be finalized before Trump concludes his China trip next Friday. Should negotiations stall by then, Trump hinted he would order military strikes. "If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," he posted on Truth Social Wednesday.
Communications between Washington and Tehran have been slow, according to U.S. officials, because all messages must reach Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding for security reasons. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday that Iran is still analyzing the proposal and has not yet transmitted its response through Pakistani mediators.
Behind the scenes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team held multiple calls Wednesday with Trump and his advisers to monitor the negotiations. Netanyahu stated there is "full coordination" between the two nations and that he has instructed the Israeli military to prepare for a resumption of hostilities if talks collapse.
Netanyahu emphasized that removing all enriched nuclear material from Iran and dismantling its enrichment capabilities remain the top priorities. He added that Trump believes such objectives can be achieved "one way or another."
The timeline for a deal remains uncertain. Trump told Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday he expected progress within a week, but later told reporters in the Oval Office he had set no firm deadline. U.S. officials have expressed similar confidence at earlier stages of previous negotiations without reaching an agreement.
The fragile state of talks became more apparent Wednesday when Israeli forces conducted an airstrike in Beirut targeting two senior Hezbollah commanders. Trump previously asked Netanyahu to limit Israeli operations in Lebanon to "surgical" strikes. An Israeli official defended Wednesday's operation as meeting that standard, claiming it targeted a Hezbollah headquarters used to orchestrate attacks that violate the existing ceasefire.
Iran has demanded during negotiations that Israel cease strikes on Lebanese targets. Whether Wednesday's airstrike will derail the diplomatic effort remains unclear.
Author James Rodriguez: "The optimism Trump is projecting about a quick Iran deal sounds familiar, and his threat of ramped-up bombing if negotiations fail is the same leverage play he has used before with Tehran."
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