⚠️ US posture on negotiations ongoing, forces positioned for defense: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains focused on ongoing negotiations with Iran while maintaining a reinforced regional military posture due to the risk of threats against US forces. He emphasized that the current US presence is strictly defensive and intended to ensure protection if regional escalation occurs.
Rubio described Iran’s leadership as ideologically driven and historically difficult to reach agreements with, noting that no prior deal has fully succeeded. He stressed that any meaningful shift in the negotiations would be clearly visible, but at present the administration’s approach remains diplomatic.
He confirmed that US envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner are traveling for meetings related to the Iran file. Rubio added that any future policy shift beyond negotiations would follow US law and Congressional requirements, but underscored that the administration is currently focused solely on pursuing a negotiated outcome while safeguarding US forces in the region.
⚠️ Israel conditions enrichment removal, missiles, terror axis dismantling: Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed skepticism about any deal with Iran and outlined what he said must be included in any agreement.
"I will not hide from you that I express my skepticism of any deal with Iran because Iran is reliable on one thing — they lie and they cheat.
If a deal is to be reached, it should have several components — several components that we believe are important not only for the security of Israel, but for the security of the world: the US, the region, the world.
The first is that all enriched material has to leave Iran.
The second is that there shall be no enrichment capability — not just stopping the enrichment process, but dismantling the equipment and the infrastructure that allow enrichment in the first place.
The third is to address the question of ballistic missiles. There is an MTCR limitation of 300 kilometers, and Iran is supposed to adhere to it — of course, it doesn't, as the Rising Lion Operation itself demonstrates, as everybody knows.
And the fourth is to dismantle the axis of terror that Iran has built. It's been smashed, but it's still there; it's trying to recover, as Iran itself is trying to do".
❗️ Trump position: support for Israeli strikes if talks fail: President Trump told Prime Minister Netanyahu in December that he would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program if nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran fail.
US military and intelligence officials have since held internal talks about how the US could assist Israel, including providing aerial refueling and securing overflight permissions.
🔸 Iran position: talks positive but enrichment and missiles excluded: Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said Tehran is ready to consider nuclear compromises if the US discusses lifting sanctions, ahead of a second round of talks set for Tuesday in Geneva.
He said initial talks went “more or less in a positive direction,” but ruled out ending uranium enrichment or linking negotiations to Iran’s ballistic missile program, adding that “the ball is in America’s court.”
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