Negotiations between the United States and Iran are progressing at a cautious pace, amid intense attempts to reach a framework agreement that will end the war and prevent a new explosion in the region, while US President Donald Trump continues to use threatening language in parallel with talk of “progress” in the talks.
According to a report by journalist Barak Ravid on Israeli Channel 12, the last hours have witnessed a narrowing of the gaps between Washington and Tehran, as confirmed by an official in one of the mediating countries, noting at the same time that “central issues are still outstanding.”
The report explained that one of the most prominent contracts is Iran’s demand for clear guarantees confirming that signing the agreement will also lead to ending the war in Lebanon and preventing renewed confrontation on various fronts.
In parallel, intensive contacts are continuing between the mediators, the United States, and Iran to reach final understandings regarding a framework agreement to stop the war.
US President Donald Trump commented on the negotiations ahead of a government meeting at the White House, saying: “We are not yet satisfied with the deal, but we will be satisfied,” before adding in a warning tone: “If we are not satisfied, we will have to go back and finish the job.”
In turn, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that there is “progress” in the talks, hinting that the coming hours may reveal the fate of these contacts.
The report indicated that Trump made a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he informed him of the developments in the negotiations, while an American official reported that the possibility of Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, visiting Israel in the coming days had become greater.
In parallel with the political track, the Strait of Hormuz witnessed a new military escalation. According to Ravid, the Iranian army launched 4 suicide drones towards a commercial ship in the strait, while the US army announced that they were shot down and targeted an Iranian unit for launching the drones in Bandar Abbas before carrying out a fifth attack.
The US Central Command confirmed that the operations were “defensive and limited” and aimed to “maintain the ceasefire,” while the Iranian Tasnim Agency said that an American ship attempted to cross the strait after turning off its radar systems, before the Iranian Navy forced it to retreat.
According to estimates reported by Channel 12, failure to achieve an additional breakthrough before the end of the week may push Trump to return the option of resuming the war to the table, in a scenario that the White House appears to be trying to avoid, while the region remains suspended between calm and explosion.
