TOP STORIES
Trump Suggests Iran Is Slow-Walking Its Nuclear Talks with US | Bloomberg
“Iran wants to deal with us, but they don’t know how. They really don’t know how,” Trump said Monday. “We had a meeting with them on Saturday. We have another meeting scheduled next Saturday. That’s a long time. You know, that’s a long time. So I think they might be tapping us along.” Trump sidestepped a question about whether he shared [an assessment that Saturday’s negotiations in Oman were constructive], saying simply that Iran can’t be allowed to get a nuclear weapon and that the US would consider “something very harsh” if necessary. “It’s really simple — they can’t have a nuclear weapon, and they got to go fast because they’re fairly close to having one, and they’re not going to have one,” Trump said. Asked if he would consider striking Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump said “of course.”
Trump Says Iran Must Ditch ‘Concept of a Nuclear Weapon’ Ahead of More Talks | Fox News
“Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. “I'll solve that problem. It's almost an easy one,” Trump told reporters while comparing the end of Iran’s decades-long ambitions to develop a nuclear weapon to the challenge of ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. “I think Iran could be a great country as long as it doesn't have nuclear weapons,” Trump said. “If they have nuclear weapons, they'll never get a chance to be a great country."
Trump Envoy Witkoff Says Iran Must Curb Nuclear Program Rather than Dismantle It | Bloomberg
The US will focus on restricting Iran’s missile capability and uranium enrichment rather than dismantling its entire nuclear program, according to Donald Trump’s top Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. “This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff told Fox News, adding that Iran must not have the ability to enrich uranium to a purity beyond 3.67%.
UANI IN THE NEWS
UANI Policy Director Jason Brodsky Discusses Iran | i24
UANI Policy Director Jason Brodsky joins i24News to discuss U.S.-Iran negotiations and how Iran uses the diplomatic process to shield itself from maximum pressure.
Iran is considered by both the United States and Israel to be in a weakened position because of the ongoing fighting in the Middle East during the past year, which has decapitated Hezbollah and Hamas—Tehran’s regional proxies. Iran also suffers from persistent economic decline, partly due to sanctions. Thus far, these factors do not seem to have significantly swayed Tehran’s negotiating position. To date, Iran has given the Trump administration the same thing that it gave Joe Biden’s team: indirect talks focused on the nuclear issue and sanctions relief.
Will Nuclear Talks at Rome Favor Iranians? | New York Sun
The Islamic Republic might believe it has the upper hand as negotiations restart in Italy between its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and President Trump’s special envoy, Steven Witkoff. “A source tells me the Islamic Republic of Iran has been pushing for Italy’s involvement in negotiations for some time now to diminish the E3’s (UK, Germany & France) active role in talks,” a United Against Nuclear Iran researcher, Kasra Aarabi, writes on X. “Another tells me Tehran has calculated E3 will activate snapback by June/July.”
Iran Faces Tough Decisions in Nuclear Negotiations | OilPrice
The format of the next round of talks has not been disclosed, but critics of indirect negotiations argue that Washington must insist on direct engagement, citing previous failures of indirect diplomacy. “The US should be making clear: if there are no direct, substantive talks in the next round, there will be no negotiation,” Jason Brodsky, policy director at the nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran, wrote on X. “This is how Tehran stalls and strings things out.”
Trump on Iran: ‘They Might Be Tapping Us Along – They Can’t Have a Nuclear Weapon’ | All Israel News
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that he won’t allow the Iranian regime to acquire nuclear weapons, while expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the nuclear talks that began last Saturday. According to Axios, the next round of talks will be held in Rome, following an American initiative to change the venue. However, Kasra Aarabi, an Iran expert at the think tank United Against Nuclear Iran, reported that Iran has also been pushing to involve Italy in the talks. “A source tells me the Islamic Republic of Iran has been pushing for Italy’s involvement in negotiations for some time now to diminish the E3’s (UK, Germany & France) active role in talks. Another tells me Tehran has calculated [that] E3 will activate snapback by June/July,” Aarabi wrote on X.
Iran's nuclear clock is ticking ever more dangerously. “Iran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon is now greater than ever before,” said Jemima Shelley, an expert at United Against Nuclear Iran. “The old nuclear deal was quite narrow. It did not address issues such as Iran's missile program, Iran's human rights abuses at home and abroad, or Iran's support for terrorist groups in the Middle East.”
The American organization United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which monitors the movement of Iranian tankers, emphasizes that the period of Joe Biden's presidency has given Tehran a great respite in terms of sanctions pressure. “In 2024, Iran exported 587 million barrels of oil, which is 10.75% more than in 2023 (530 million barrels). During the four years of the Biden administration, Iran exported a total of almost 1.98 billion barrels of oil,” UANI experts note.
NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iran Expected to Resist US Plan to Move Uranium Stockpile to Third Country | Guardian
Iran is expected to resist a US proposal to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country—such as Russia—as part of Washington’s effort to scale back Tehran’s civil nuclear programme and prevent it from being used to develop a nuclear weapon.
Tehran Says Next Iran-US Talks in Oman After Rome Floated | Associated Press
Talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program appeared ready to leave the Middle East on Monday, as an Italian source and others said the next round of negotiations would take place in Rome. But early Tuesday, Iran insisted the next round would again be held in Oman.
Iranian FM Invited Witkoff to Tehran | Israel Hayom
According to international sources, US envoy Steve Witkoff did not reject the invitation to visit the Iranian capital. Trump's representative told the Iranian foreign minister that the president prefers to resolve disputes, and that Iranian compliance would lead to significant Western investment. The main concern in Israel, as well as among many in the current administration, is that Iran will use the talks to stall while securing a partial lifting of sanctions.
Iran Has a Reason to Strike a Nuclear Deal: Its Economy Is in Trouble | Wall Street Journal
The threat of U.S. military intervention helped bring Iran back to the negotiating table. Its hobbled economy is likely to keep it there. Iran’s currency is among the weakest in the world. Inflation remains well above 30%. Already severely strained by sanctions and endemic corruption, political observers and analysts say a further deterioration of Iran’s economy could push its people to the brink.
'Of Course' US Could Strike Iran's Nuclear Facilities, Trump Says | The National
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Iran must abandon any push for a nuclear weapon or face harsh consequences that could include a military strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities. He also suggested Tehran is stalling for time as it holds indirect negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme. When asked if a potential response could include strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Mr Trump said: “Of course it does.”
New US Aircraft Carrier in Mideast Ahead of 2nd Iran-US Nuclear Talks | Associated Press
A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.
Iran’ s IRGC Says Military Capabilities ‘Red Lines’ in US Talks | Al Arabiya
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday the country’s military capabilities were off limits, ahead of a second round of indirect talks with the United States on its nuclear program. “National security and defense and military power are among the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which cannot be discussed or negotiated under any circumstances,” IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini said, quoted by state broadcaster IRIB.
SANCTIONS, SHIPPING, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
US Tells Singapore Banks, Shippers to Expect More Iran Pressure | Bloomberg
Singapore’s financial and maritime sectors should expect the Trump administration to ramp up pressure on Iran’s oil industry and on Chinese buyers of the country’s crude, US Treasury officials told bankers and shipping executives during a visit to the city-state late last week. In the meetings with company executives and banks, Treasury officials emphasized that Washington would not be easing sanctions on Tehran. Instead, officials highlighted growing US attention on smaller, privately run refiners in China’s eastern Shandong province, key purchasers of Iran’s oil. They warned more penalties could be added, the people said.
PROTESTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Christian Convert Detained for Three Months in Iran | IranWire
Parvin Ghadiani, a Christian convert, has been in custody for three months following her arrest by Iranian security forces. She is currently being held at Kachouei Prison in Karaj, with her legal status still unresolved. A source familiar with her case told HRANA that authorities cited “proselytizing Christianity” as the reason for her detention.
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
Iran Withdraws from the Red Sea | Maritime Executive
With two US Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) now operating in the area, it appears that the regular Iranian Navy (Nedaja) has withdrawn from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden station. The Houthis are known to have relied on the Nedaja and ships of the IRGC Navy to provide intelligence to support their anti-shipping campaign. The Nedaja appears to have withdrawn when the Houthi need for support, under airstrikes mounted from the two US CSGs, is at its most acute.
Iran Resumes Smuggling Arms to Hezbollah via Beirut’s Port | Jerusalem Post
A Western intelligence source told The Jerusalem Post that Tehran had made several attempts to smuggle weapons from Iran to Hezbollah by sea via the Port of Beirut.
RUSSIA, UKRAINE, & IRAN
Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit Moscow Ahead of Second Iran-US Meeting | Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will visit Russia this week ahead of a planned second round of talks between Tehran and Washington aimed at resolving Iran's decades-long nuclear stand-off with the West. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Baghaei, said Araqchi will "discuss the latest developments related to the Muscat talks" with Russian officials.
EUROPE & IRAN
UK Adds Two New Designations to Its Iran Sanctions List | Al Arabiya
The British government on Monday imposed sanctions on an organization and an individual under its Iran sanctions regime, citing involvement in hostile activity backed by the Iranian government. An update to the government website showed new sanctions, including asset freezes and director disqualifications, against the Foxtrot Network and Rawa Majid over “activity which aids or facilitates serious organized crime in the United Kingdom or any other country.”
PAKISTAN & IRAN
Islamabad Demands Iran Find Killers of Eight Pakistani Workers | Iran International
Pakistan called on Iranian authorities to identify and detain those responsible for the killing of eight Pakistani nationals in southeastern Iran. Armed assailants stormed an auto repair shop in Mehrestan County in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province on Friday and killed the workers at close range.