US-Iran Talks Reach Critical Stage as Trump Weighs Renewed Military Strikes

Efforts to reach an agreement with Iran are entering a decisive stage amid growing concerns that fighting could resume. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke yesterday, according to a report published overnight Saturday into Sunday by The Wall Street Journal. Sources familiar with the negotiations said that if an agreement is not reached by the middle of next week, the prospects for continuing along the diplomatic track will diminish significantly.

Speaking about the negotiations at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump declared, "They will never have a nuclear weapon. They want to make a deal." However, he expressed doubts about Iran's reliability, saying, "They're not very trustworthy. They make a deal—and then they back out." Asked whether he intended to resume military operations as early as this week, Trump responded, "Stupid question. Let's say I did—would I tell you?!"

In an interview with Fox News, Trump also discussed the results of previous strikes, claiming that the United States had destroyed Iran's navy, air force, air defense systems, production capabilities, and nuclear program. "I would say we have one or two sites left to deal with—but we can do that in 10 minutes, and we have a plan," he said.

Trump Faces Competing Pressures as Diplomacy Continues

According to senior American officials, Trump is facing conflicting pressures over his next move. Netanyahu is reportedly pushing for a joint Israeli-American military operation following the November 6 midterm elections, while leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan are urging a diplomatic agreement. Negotiations that began Friday and continued Saturday are expected to resume Monday.

Israel, meanwhile, is reportedly maintaining a high level of military readiness for both defensive and offensive operations, alongside close daily coordination between senior Israeli and US military officials. According to sources, any future military operation would differ from previous strikes in its intensity and objectives, requiring clearly defined, achievable goals and coordinated operational planning.

As reported approximately 10 days ago, dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft conducted a simulated strike mission targeting Iran. The aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq, approached the Iranian border, then turned around and returned to Israel.

Iran Warns of an Unrestricted Military Response

Tehran has also intensified its threats. Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei met with Armed Forces Commander Ali Abdollahi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Ahmad Vahidi, and Army Commander Amir Hatami.

According to Iranian media, Khamenei instructed military leaders to prepare for an immediate and powerful response without geographical restrictions, warning that Iran would determine the terms under which the fighting would end.

Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, issued a similar warning: "There will be no geographical restrictions on our targets. Iran will be the one to determine when the war ends."