•US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump scuppered an Israeli plan to strike Iranian nuclear sites, the New York Times reported yesterday, as Washington attempts to reach a deal to curb Tehran’s weapons programme.
The United States and Iran, which have not had diplomatic relations for more than 40 years, are seeking a new nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of a landmark agreement during his first term.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are due to meet in Rome on Saturday, a week after they held the highest-level Iranian-US nuclear negotiations since the collapse of a 2015 accord.
In March, Trump sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging talks but warning of possible military action if they failed to produce a deal.
Trump administration officials revealed to the New York Times that Israel had sought Washington’s assistance to carry out an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in May.
According to the Times, the plan and its possible maneuvers were under consideration for months.
But during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House last week, Trump told the Israelis he would not support an attack. The president instead publicly announced the direct talks with Tehran.
Iran has consistently denied that it is seeking nuclear weapons, but has stepped up its nuclear capacities since Trump scrapped the 2015 agreement.
The latest International Atomic Energy Agency report noted with “serious concern” that Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, nearing the weapons grade of 90 percent.
