President Donald Trump is wondering why Iran hasn’t “capitulated” amid a vast US military buildup aimed at pressuring Tehran into a deal over its nuclear ambitions, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said in an interview aired yesterday.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded in a post on X: “Curious to know why we do not capitulate? Because we are IRANIAN.”
But Araghchi also said that he may hold further discussions with Witkoff as soon as Thursday, with another possible meeting in Geneva. A US official confirmed that plans are underway for Thursday.
Take a look at this week’s developments below:
Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran took place in Geneva, Switzerland. Iran demanded “the complete lifting” of sanctions as well as the establishment of trust regarding Tehran’s “peaceful nuclear program,” state-affiliated news agency Tasnim reported.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the talks as “positive,” adding that the countries agreed on “guiding principles” but more work needed to be done. He also warned that an agreement will not be reached “quickly.”
One US official told CNN “progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss.” The Iranian side “said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions,” the official added.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to say whether Trump would hold off on military action against Iran while waiting for its proposals.
The same day, sources familiar with the matter told CNN that the US military was prepared to strike Iran as early as this weekend
Trump suggested that a decision on whether the US would strike Iran would come in “10 to 15 days.”
Earlier in the day, he had said, “now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that will complete what we’re doing. And if they join us, that will be great. If they don’t join us, that will be great too, but it will be a very different path.”
Trump said he was “considering” a limited strike on Iran to pressure the country into a deal. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group entered the Mediterranean Sea to join a significant number of other US military assets in the Middle East.
The same day, top Democrats sitting on the House Foreign Affairs, Intel and Armed Services committees urged the Trump administration not to conduct military action in Iran without congressional approval.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Tehran remains committed to regional stability it continues “to closely monitor US actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported demonstrations in support of the government and against the United States.
CNN’s Billy Stockwell, Nadeen Ebrahim, Mostafa Salem, Kylie Atwood, Jennifer Hansler, Zachary Cohen, Kevin Liptak, Kristen Holmes, Aileen Graef, Kit Maher, Brad Lendon, Haley Britzky, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Farida Elsebai and Aleena Fayaz contributed to this reporting.
