Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has agreed to negotiate with the United States and reach an agreement, suggesting a potential diplomatic opening amid ongoing hostilities, reported Arab News has cited Israeli Media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth.ย
Ahrnaooth cited a conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US intermediary Steve Witkoff, which was approved by the highest level in Iran.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route, will be “open very soon” amid the conflict in West Asia and suggested that he envisions it being managed jointly by the US and Iran. “It’ll be jointly controlled. Me and the Ayatollah, whoever the Ayatollah is, whoever the next Ayatollah is,” the US President added.
Iran hadย dismissed talks with US
Earlier, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry had dismissedย Trump’s claims of talks with Iran, saying Tehran has had no negotiations with Washington over the past 24 days of the unprovoked US-Israel war against the Islamic Republic.
The report comes as US President Donald Trump said there have been talks between Washington and Tehran over the past day that produced what he described as “major points of agreement”.
The US President had also announced that he had instructed the US Department of War to delay any military action against Iranian power plants and energy sites for five days, citing ongoing diplomatic engagements with Tehran amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
The key development comes as the conflict between US-Israel and Iran has now entered into its fourth week–with ripple effects being felt beyond West Asia and the Gulf region as concerns intensify over global energy security, with supply bottlenecks and damaged infrastructure- civilian, military, and energy.ย
US-Iran war to end on April 9?
Meanwhile, the United States has set 9 April as a potential date to end the ongoing war against Iran, Israeli media reported, citing a government official, after US President Donald Trump announced his decision to hold off on strikes against Tehran’s energy infrastructure. Trump announced a five-day pause on attacks targeting Iranian power and energy facilities, citing “productive” discussions aimed at de-escalation.
The official said that the war will end ahead of US President Trump’s planned visit to Israel to receive the national Israel Prize later in the month. “Ending the war on April 9 will allow Trump to arrive in Israel for Independence Day to receive the Israel Prize,” the unnamed official added.
The Times of Israel reported about an unnamed Israeli official who said that mediating countries are trying to convene a meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, between the US and Iran — possibly as soon as later this week.
Though Israel has not been briefed on these discussions or on Washington’s reported contacts with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has strongly denied involvement, labelling Trump’s claims as “fake news” aimed at manipulating financial markets.
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