New York Times: Trump Tends to Strike Iran Within Days

SadaNews - The New York Times reported that advisers to US President Donald Trump said he is inclined to launch a strike on Iran within days to demonstrate the necessity for Tehran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, while the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied reports of a temporary agreement with the United States.

According to the New York Times, Trump informed his advisers that he would keep the option of launching an attack to overthrow Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei if Tehran does not meet Washington's demands.

These developments come just days before scheduled US-Iran nuclear talks next Thursday in Geneva.

In the meantime, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqaei denied reports about a temporary agreement between his country and the United States.

Baqaei stated that such reports are unfounded, affirming that Tehran is continuing its diplomatic path and emphasizing that "the goal of negotiations should not be to impose demands on the other party."

Axios reported that a US official said on Sunday that US negotiators are ready to hold another round of talks with Iran if they receive a detailed Iranian proposal regarding a nuclear agreement within the next 48 hours, adding that the Trump administration is waiting for the Iranian proposal.

The official confirmed that the Trump administration and Iran may also discuss the possibility of reaching a temporary agreement before a comprehensive nuclear agreement is finalized.

For his part, Iranian Army Chief Amir Hatami stated that the United States is trying to gradually weaken Iran and bring the Iranian people to a state of fatigue and exhaustion, stressing that the army will defend Iran’s independence and territorial integrity until the last breath.

Hatami explained: "The enemy thinks we are at a weak point while it is at a strong point, but it is mistaken," pointing out that "millions of soldiers in Iran are ready to sacrifice their lives for the homeland."

Hatami added in statements reported by the Iranian broadcasting and television agency that "the enemy is trying to impose a price for violating our territorial integrity on us as some countries in the region have done, but know that the Iranian people will stand firm and will not allow that."

He said: "The enemy has waged war for 20 years in Vietnam and Afghanistan, and in the end, it came out of both defeated, which is the same thing that happened in Iraq."

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that reaching an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue is within reach and that work is ongoing on its draft, emphasizing that diplomacy is the only way to achieve that.

Araghchi indicated that some aspects of the anticipated agreement might be better than the previous agreement signed in 2015.

In an interview with CBS News, Araghchi mentioned that Tehran is working on the aspects of the agreement and its draft and is seeking to hold a meeting with the US side in Geneva next Thursday.

He added that current discussions only address the nuclear issue, asserting that Iran has the right to enrich uranium. He also pointed out that diplomacy is the only solution and that there is no need for US military mobilization that will not intimidate Tehran, as he described it.

ISNA news agency reported that an Iranian diplomat suggested that the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, is likely to attend the Geneva talks next Thursday.

As US military mobilization in the region continues and tensions rise, the diplomatic path appears more complicated, as Tehran insists on its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, while Washington considers this to be a red line.

Washington still views the upcoming round of negotiations as a last chance for diplomacy before activating a wide-ranging US-Israeli military option that may go beyond nuclear facilities to include direct targeting of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.