Negotiations

Indirect technical talks between the U.S. and Iran are taking place in Doha with mediation from Qatar and Pakistan. According to a Saudi report, a preliminary agreement has been reached to release $3 billion for Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump said, "The talks with Iran are going very well."

President Donald Trump said Iran requested an official meeting in Doha as soon as tomorrow. In Tehran, officials pushed back: "The technical meetings of the working groups are not scheduled for this week."

Lebanon signals progress as it readies for a two-day round in Washington. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said: "We are not going in the direction of normalization, but toward peace. Lebanon launched the Arab Peace Initiative."

Tehran’s proposal, relayed through mediators, conditions renewed talks on full U.S. acceptance of its framework. It prioritizes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a ceasefire, while deferring nuclear negotiations to a later stage.

Today in Washington, the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Lebanon demands that the IDF stop demolishing buildings in southern Lebanon. A Lebanese official: "This is a condition for continuing the talks"

Islamabad is prepped for another round, but Iran hasn’t confirmed it will show up—while leaders warn they’ve "prepared new cards on the battlefield" and Washington readies its team.

As the U.S. gets ready to open talks in Pakistan, Tehran sends mixed signals about whether negotiations will even happen. Israel is watching closely and preparing scenarios for a rapid escalation.