Overview

• US and Iran negotiators completed a fifth round in Rome without reaching a deal and plan to resume talks with Washington demanding a full halt to Tehran’s uranium enrichment.
• President Trump publicly cautioned Benjamin Netanyahu that an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities could derail the delicate diplomatic process.
• American intelligence reports warn that Israel could ready an airstrike on Iran within seven hours, leaving Washington a narrow window to prevent unilateral military action.
• Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s nuclear regulatory authority, said Tehran would reconsider allowing IAEA inspections if its conditions for sanctions relief are met.
• Israel’s October 2023 operation crippled key components of Iran’s air defense and Tehran’s regional allies such as Hezbollah and Hamas remain weakened, heightening Tehran’s vulnerability to attack.