News
The crisis between Washington and Tehran is approaching a new moment after Iran, through Pakistani mediation, delivered an updated proposal to end the war, but the White House does not see it as sufficient for a deal.
Axios cited U.S. officials as saying that Trump wants an agreement to end the war, but is considering resuming military operations because Iran has rejected key U.S. demands and has not offered meaningful concessions on its nuclear program.
At the same time, Israeli reports in recent hours suggest that Tel Aviv is treating the escalation as a near-term military scenario, with a heightened state of alert and intensified coordination between the Israeli military and U.S. Central Command.
Details
• The core dispute centers on the nuclear file:
- Iran’s proposal, according to the U.S. account, includes general pledges not to pursue a nuclear weapon.
- But it does not provide detailed commitments on suspending uranium enrichment or handing over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
• According to the U.S. reading, Tehran is trying to shift the center of negotiations toward:
- ending the war
- reopening the Strait of Hormuz
- lifting sanctions and maritime restrictions
- while postponing the more sensitive nuclear issues to later stages.
• Axios said Iran’s proposal reached Washington on Sunday night through Pakistani mediators, but included only symbolic improvements compared with the previous version.
• The most dangerous line came from a senior U.S. official, who said Washington is not making much progress, and that if Iran does not engage in a serious and detailed discussion about its nuclear program, negotiations will continue through bombs.
• Trump told Axios that time is running out, warning that Iran will face much harder strikes if it does not show flexibility.
• Trump is expected to meet Tuesday with his top national security officials in the Situation Room to discuss military options against Iran.
• In Israel, Channel 12 said the assessment inside the security establishment points to a growing possibility of U.S. action against Iran, alongside a high state of alert in the Israeli military.
• Channel 12 also reported near-daily contacts between Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, signaling direct military coordination ahead of any possible U.S. decision.
• Channel 12 further reported that Israel expects to be informed in advance if Washington decides to strike Iran, allowing time for military preparations and public instructions for the home front.
• According to Israeli assessments, a return to fighting may not be limited to a single strike, but could become a confrontation lasting from days to weeks if political efforts collapse.
• Israel’s public broadcaster Kan said preparations for a possible return to fighting with Iran have reached their peak, and that the ball is now effectively in Trump’s court.
• Other regional indicators are also adding to the level of concern, including Israeli reports linking Saudi Arabia’s interception of three drones coming from Iraq and the use of drones against the UAE to the possibility that Iran’s proxies are testing new pressure routes if fighting resumes.
What’s next?
The key indicator remains Trump’s security meeting on Tuesday. If Washington emerges with a message that Iran’s proposal cannot be built upon, the return of war will become closer. But if the door remains open for another round of negotiations through Pakistan or Qatar, that will likely amount to nothing more than a short extension of the ceasefire.
