Iran launches U.S. nuclear deal talks as Gulf strikes threaten fragile ceasefire
Iran launches international exchange amid fragile Gulf ceasefire as U.S. and Tehran edge toward direct talks
Iran has initiated a high-stakes diplomatic maneuver by launching an international exchange framework with the U.S., even as fresh military strikes across the Gulf threaten to unravel a tenuous ceasefire. President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that Iran has agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons—a key U.S. demand—and revealed plans to meet Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, signaling a rare opening for direct negotiations between the long-time adversaries.
The exchange follows a dramatic escalation in hostilities earlier this week. Iran launched a coordinated drone and missile attack on Kuwait International Airport on June 3, killing one Indian national and injuring 63 others, according to Kuwait’s health ministry. The assault, which forced the suspension of all commercial flights, marked the first fatality in a Gulf state since the April ceasefire. Kuwait’s defense ministry reported intercepting 13 ballistic missiles and 17 drones, while Iran accused Kuwait of "direct responsibility" for supporting U.S. strikes on its territory. The U.S. retaliated by targeting an island in the Strait of Hormuz, further straining the fragile truce.
Trump’s diplomatic push comes amid a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Israel relations. The president confirmed a profanity-laced phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, during which he demanded Israel stand down from plans to bomb Beirut. According to U.S. officials, Trump told Netanyahu, *"You’re fucking crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me,"* warning that further escalation in Lebanon would isolate Israel globally. Netanyahu abandoned the Beirut strike after the call, and Trump announced a new ceasefire—though its durability remains in question.
The negotiations appear to be advancing despite the violence. Trump told *Pod Force One* that Khamenei is "involved in the talks" and that the two leaders "seem to be getting along quite well." He also claimed Iran has already committed to abandoning its nuclear weapons program, though no formal agreement has been signed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers the "war on Iran is over," though recent attacks suggest the conflict has merely shifted to a lower-intensity phase.
The exchange framework—details of which remain undisclosed—could reshape regional dynamics if it holds. Analysts warn, however, that Iran’s simultaneous military strikes and diplomatic overtures reflect a strategy of calibrated pressure, leaving the Gulf’s stability hanging in the balance. With Trump set to meet Khamenei and Netanyahu sidelined, the coming weeks will test whether the ceasefire can survive the region’s deep-seated rivalries.
- independent
- aljazeera
- axios
- france24
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Iran agrees not to pursue nuclear weapon, Trump says amid renewed Gulf strikes Trump says Iran has agreed not to build a nuclear weapon and that he expects to meet its supreme leader, even as fresh missile strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain test a fragile Gulf ceasefire.
intellinews · 4 days ago
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axios · 4 days ago
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france24 · 4 days ago
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theguardian · 4 days ago
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independent · 4 days ago
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aljazeera · 4 days ago
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theguardian · 4 days ago
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yenisafak · 4 days ago
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yenisafak · 4 days ago
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intellinews · 4 days ago
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