President Trump told Axios he acceded to mediators' requests to give the negotiations a chance, but warned he is not giving them much time. He said everyone involved in contacts with Iran asked him not to shoot, and that the US is in deep talks with Tehran. If the talks fail, Trump said he will return to powerful military action. The Associated Press, citing regional officials, also reports progress in bridging gaps between Washington and Tehran, with a return to the MOU understandings.
President Trump's latest remarks to Axios, published Monday evening, confirm that he acceded to mediators' requests to give the negotiations a chance and to pause military action. Trump warned that time is short and that failure would mean a return to 'powerful military action.' The Associated Press, citing regional officials, concurrently reported progress in bridging gaps between Washington and Tehran, with a return to the understandings of the Memorandum of Understanding.
Earlier Monday, The Zioneer reported a series of Trump statements at 18:02 Jerusalem: first, that he agreed to the mediators' request (i24NEWS); then, that the diplomatic window is nearly closed and he threatens powerful military action; and finally, that talks are 'very deep' but time is short. The AP report at 17:16 Jerusalem had already indicated progress. The new Axios interview adds explicit confirmation of the mediators' role and the military pause.
As The Zioneer reported on June 10, US-Iran negotiations risked collapse, and on June 14, MOU talks accelerated after an Israeli strike. The administration has maintained diplomacy while keeping military options on the table, with Trump's 60-day deadline approaching.
The specific timeline for the talks, the nature of remaining gaps, and whether Iran will reciprocate remain unclear. The AP report did not specify the remaining gaps or a timeline for a potential signing.
5 developments
- StrongTrump: US has 'a lot of ammunition, many types,' warns of return to fighting if no Iran deal
- DevelopingTrump says everyone involved in Iran negotiations asked him 'don't shoot'
- DevelopingTrump says US agreed to continue talks with Iran, warns of 'bomb them at levels never seen' if assassinated
- DevelopingTrump says he gave Iran a chance to reach a deal, Iran 'shot first'
Source and signal
- Open-source intake