US president signals optimism for a deal, while Iran warns of renewed conflict after fresh regional attacks.
Image: PBS
US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that ongoing talks with Iran could produce a breakthrough within days, saying negotiations are progressing well.
“I hear the negotiation itself is going very well,” Trump told reporters at the White House. He added that a deal could be reached “over the weekend.”
Trump also said he wants to separate discussions on the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon from broader US-Iran negotiations. Tehran, however, maintains that both issues are closely connected.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains a key issue in the talks. Washington is seeking limits on Iran’s nuclear activities and broader regional security commitments.
Despite the positive tone from Washington, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations have produced “no tangible progress” so far. He stressed that communication channels with the United States remain open but warned that tensions remain high.
Araghchi also cautioned that any Israeli attack on Beirut would trigger a full-scale return to conflict. He said Iran’s armed forces are prepared to respond if Lebanon’s capital comes under attack.
Meanwhile, fresh violence has raised concerns about the stability of the ceasefire reached in April. Kuwaiti officials said an Iranian drone strike hit a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, killing one person and injuring 63 others.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards denied responsibility, claiming the damage resulted from a malfunctioning US Patriot missile system. They accused US forces of provoking the incident through strikes on Iranian targets.
The renewed hostilities have become one of the biggest challenges to the fragile ceasefire that ended weeks of fighting involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Trump downplayed the latest clashes, suggesting that ceasefires in the region often involve limited exchanges of fire rather than complete calm.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of escalating tensions and warned that military action could resume if threats continue.
Kuwait temporarily suspended airport operations following the attack before gradually restoring flights. Residents near the airport reported hearing explosions throughout the night as fears of a wider conflict resurfaced across the region
