President Donald Trump remains optimistic about reaching an interim peace deal with Iran, suggesting a result could be achieved over a weekend. While Trump claims Iran has agreed not to possess a nuclear weapon and expressed a possibility of meeting Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei if things work out, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that no tangible progress has been made.
Tensions persist as Israel continues to launch attacks in Lebanon. Although Trump asserted that Israel and Hezbollah agreed that all shooting would stop and that fighting would be toned down, the war continues. Trump has attempted to salvage the peace deal through heated phone calls, but the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has dimmed the prospects for a deal.
Iran has suspended negotiations, insisting that no peace can be achieved without including Lebanon. While Trump wants to separate the talks regarding the conflict in Lebanon from the war with Iran, Tehran maintains that the two are linked. Despite Iranian media reports that negotiations were halted, Trump dismissed those reports as fake news.
Despite the administration's projected confidence, Israel's determination to press ahead with its own objectives underscores a tenuous control over the outcome of the crisis. Iran is currently reviewing a proposed agreement with the United States to halt the war between the two countries.