U.S. President Donald Trump blocked a proposed Israeli military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year, opting instead to pursue direct negotiations aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The report, citing U.S. officials and others briefed on the matter, said Israel had prepared plans to attack Iranian sites in May. The goal was to delay Iran’s nuclear programme by at least a year. However, the operation required U.S. backing, not only to support Israel’s defence in the face of Iranian retaliation but also to ensure the mission’s success.
Trump, after months of internal debate, ultimately rejected the military option, instead directing his administration to explore a diplomatic track.
That decision paved the way for the first direct talks between the United States and Iran during Trump’s presidency. The two sides met in Oman last Saturday and described the discussions as "positive" and "constructive."
A second round of talks is expected on Saturday, with Rome being considered as the venue, according to a source briefed on the planning.
The Trump administration has since signalled that any deal with Tehran would need to include stringent limits on uranium enrichment and increased international inspections — conditions similar to those in the 2015 nuclear accord, which Trump withdrew from during his first term.
Officials familiar with the discussions said Israel has not formally abandoned its military planning but is now recalibrating its approach following Washington’s shift.
The White House has not commented publicly on the New York Times report.
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark,...
A senior Russian military intelligence officer is recovering in hospital after being shot several times in Moscow, as investigators prepare to interro...
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution f...
Türkiye’s national energy company, TPAO, has struck a new cooperation deal with U.S. energy giant Chevron, signing a memorandum of understanding to...
The Netherlands has returned a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sculpture to Egypt, after an investigation confirmed the artefact had been looted and unlawfull...
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark, a NATO ally, amid renewed demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire the strategically located territory.
A senior Russian military intelligence officer is recovering in hospital after being shot several times in Moscow, as investigators prepare to interrogate two suspects in what appears to be the latest assassination attempt targeting Russia’s top military ranks since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Winter weather has brought air travel in the German capital to a complete halt, stranding thousands of passengers as severe icing conditions make runways and aircraft unsafe for operation and force authorities to shut down one of Europe’s key transport hubs.
Storm Leonardo hit Spain and Portugal on Tuesday, forcing more than 11,000 people from their homes, as a man in Portugal died after his car was swept away by floodwaters and a second body was found in Malaga.
An attacker opened fire at the gates of a Shiite Muslim mosque in Islamabad on Friday before detonating a suicide bomb that killed at least 31 people in the deadliest assault of its kind in the capital in more than a decade.
Alphabet is emerging as a frontrunner in the global artificial intelligence race, as analysts and executives say Google has overtaken OpenAI, marking a sharp reversal from a year ago when the company was widely seen as lagging.
Using art as a quiet alarm, a new exhibition in Baku is drawing attention to endangered wildlife and the need for environmental responsibility.
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark, a NATO ally, amid renewed demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire the strategically located territory.
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal of reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by March, though the timeline is widely viewed as unrealistic due to deep disagreements over territory, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks.
At least 31 people have been killed and scores wounded in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, prompting widespread international condemnation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment