On Wednesday, President Donald Trump declared that officials from the United States and Iran are scheduled to engage in discussions next week, resuming a conversation that had been disrupted by the recent conflict between Israel and Tehran, as a tenuous ceasefire seems to be maintaining its stability.
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that officials from both the United States and Iran will recommence discussions next week, reviving dialogue that was interrupted by a recent conflict between Iran and Israel, even as a delicate ceasefire seems to be holding.
“We are set to engage in talks with them next week, regarding Iran. There is a possibility we may finalize an agreement — I cannot say for certain,” Trump stated during a press conference at a NATO summit in the Netherlands.
Although he has emphasized his reluctance to reopen negotiations, Trump asserted that the recent U.S. military actions had effectively dismantled Iran’s nuclear program. “From my perspective, they fought, and the war is over,” he remarked.
Iran has not yet confirmed any intentions to negotiate, although U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff indicated that there has been both direct and indirect communication between the two countries.
The ceasefire, which commenced on Tuesday — marking the 12th day of conflict — has generated cautious optimism for enduring peace, even as Iran insists it will not relinquish its nuclear program. In a symbolic gesture, Iranian lawmakers voted to expedite a bill that would suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear oversight body.
Prior to the vote, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf criticized the IAEA for having “failed to even feign condemnation of the assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities” that the United States executed on Sunday.
“For this reason, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will halt cooperation with the IAEA until the security of nuclear facilities is guaranteed, and Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will advance at an accelerated pace,” Qalibaf informed lawmakers.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that he had already reached out to Iran to discuss the resumption of inspections of their nuclear facilities.
Among other claims, Iran asserts that it has relocated its highly enriched uranium in anticipation of the U.S. strikes, and Grossi mentioned that his inspectors need to reassess the nation’s stockpiles.
“We must return,” he stated. “We need to engage.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, whose nation was involved in the 2015 agreement with Iran that limited its nuclear program but began to fall apart after Trump withdrew the U.S. during his first term, expressed his hope that Tehran would return to negotiations.
Iran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, and U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Tehran is not actively seeking to develop a bomb. Nevertheless, Israeli officials have contended that Iran could swiftly construct a nuclear weapon.
Israel is generally regarded as the sole Middle Eastern nation possessing nuclear weapons, a fact it has never officially acknowledged.
The Israel Atomic Energy Commission stated that its evaluation indicated that the U.S. and Israeli military actions have “significantly delayed Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons by many years.” However, it did not provide evidence to support this assertion.
The U.S. military actions targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities, which Trump claimed had “completely and fully obliterated” the nation’s nuclear program. During the NATO summit, when questioned about a U.S. intelligence report indicating that Iran’s nuclear program had only been delayed by a few months, Trump dismissed the claim, asserting that it would take “years” to rebuild.
Esmail Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that the strikes by U.S. B-2 bombers utilizing bunker-buster bombs had inflicted considerable damage.
“Our nuclear facilities have sustained severe damage, that is certain,” he stated to Al Jazeera on Wednesday, while declining to provide further details.
He appeared to imply that Iran might not permanently exclude IAEA inspectors, pointing out that the legislation currently before parliament only discusses suspending cooperation with the agency, not terminating it. He also emphasized that Iran has the right to pursue a nuclear energy program.
“Iran is resolute in maintaining that right under any circumstances,” he asserted.
Witkoff remarked on Fox News late Tuesday that Israel and the U.S. had accomplished their goal of “the total destruction of the enrichment capacity” in Iran, and that Iran’s condition for negotiations — that Israel cease its operations — had been
“The proof is in the pudding,” he remarked. “No one is engaging in hostilities. It is finished.”
Grossi stated that he could not predict the extent of the damage but emphasized that Iran’s nuclear capabilities are well established.
“The technical expertise exists, and the industrial capacity is present,” he noted. “This is undeniable, thus we must collaborate with them.”
An Israeli official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters, indicated that the ceasefire agreement with Iran represented a “quiet for quiet” arrangement, with no additional agreements regarding Iran’s nuclear program moving forward.
In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff mentioned that Trump is now aiming to secure “a comprehensive peace agreement that extends beyond the ceasefire.”
“We are already in communication, not only directly but also through intermediaries,” Witkoff stated, adding that the discussions were encouraging and “we are optimistic about reaching a long-term peace agreement.”
However, Baghaei, the Iranian spokesperson, asserted that Washington had “sabotaged diplomacy” with its assaults on nuclear facilities, and while Iran is generally open to negotiations, national security remains paramount.
“We must ascertain whether the other parties are genuinely committed to diplomacy, or if this is merely another tactic to create further issues for the region and for my country,” he remarked.
China, a key ally of Iran and a significant purchaser of Iranian oil, expressed its hope that a “lasting and effective ceasefire can be established to promote” peace and stability in the region. China has accused Israel of initiating the conflict and destabilizing the area.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun informed reporters that China is prepared to “inject positive elements to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East.”
Grossi urged that Iran and the international community should take advantage of the ceasefire to pursue a long-term diplomatic resolution.
“Amidst the numerous adverse consequences of military conflict, there exists a potential opportunity,” he remarked. “We must not overlook this chance.”
In the course of the war with Israel, Iran executed multiple prisoners accused of espionage on behalf of Israel, raising concerns among activists that a surge of executions could follow the conclusion of the conflict.
On Wednesday, three additional prisoners were hanged on charges of espionage, increasing the total number of executions for such offenses to six since June 16. Iran identified the three individuals as Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali, and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul.
The executions occurred at Urmia Prison, located in West Azerbaijan, which is Iran’s most northwestern province. The state-run IRNA news agency reported, citing Iran’s judiciary, that the men were accused of smuggling “assassination equipment” into the nation.
Throughout the 12-day conflict, at least 28 individuals were reported killed in Israel, with over 1,000 sustaining injuries, according to official sources.
On Tuesday, Tehran reported the death toll in Iran to be 606, with 5,332 individuals injured. The Human Rights Activists group, based in Washington, released figures on Wednesday indicating that Israeli strikes on Iran had resulted in at least 1,054 fatalities and 4,476 injuries.
This organization, which has compiled detailed casualty statistics from various episodes of unrest in Iran, noted that 417 of the deceased were civilians, while 318 were members of security forces.
During the conflict, Israeli airstrikes also targeted key military leaders in Iran and other locations linked to its ruling theocracy.
Following the ceasefire, Iranians are attempting to resume their normal routines. State media reported significant traffic congestion around the Caspian Sea and in other rural regions outside of Tehran, as individuals began to return to the capital.
This report was contributed to by Associated Press writers Josef Federman and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, Chris Megerian and Sylvie Corbet in The Hague, Netherlands, and Geir Moulson in Berlin.
