U.S. Pushes for Iran Deal Despite Regional Strikes, Israel Alarmed by Terms

Even as military strikes continue in the region, President Donald Trump’s administration is trying to finalize an agreement with Iran tonight, working frantically through mediators from Pakistan and Qatar. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a deal is not a question of if but when. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, "the country continues on the path of negotiations."

After Iranian threats following the Israeli Air Force strike in Beirut’s Dahieh district, Fox News reported that Trump called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and asked, "What the hell are you doing?" Earlier, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Beirut attack should not have happened, especially on a day when the sides were so close to a peace deal with Iran. He said Israel has a right to defend itself, but the retaliatory strike was "very small and insignificant," warned it should not derail the process, and urged all sides to lower the flames. Trump added that there should be no more Israeli attacks anywhere in Lebanon, and no more attacks by any side, including Hezbollah, against Israel.

While a Qatari mediation delegation is in Tehran to complete the effort, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that the United States has agreed to help Iran reduce its enriched uranium stockpile, suspend oil sanctions temporarily, and unfreeze $25 billion in Iranian assets. The source said Iran would agree not to possess nuclear weapons under a memorandum of understanding, while Washington would avoid new sanctions until a final deal is reached. The assets, he said, would be released through direct cash transfers, regional cooperation, and financial credit lines, and talks over the mechanism for diluting enriched uranium would continue during 60 days of negotiations.

An adviser to Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who leads the Iranian negotiating team, said the memorandum also includes a halt to hostilities, security guarantees, a complete stop to military action against Iran and Lebanon, and an end to any new military steps. He said some frozen assets would be released at the start of implementation, before nuclear issues are addressed, and that easing movement for Iranian commercial ships and lifting the naval blockade are also part of the understanding. Israeli officials said the emerging deal does not deal with the nuclear program, ballistic missiles, or Iran’s proxy groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, and warned that it threatens Israel’s security interests. They also said Israel’s influence is very limited, and that the reported deal, if finalized, would be worse than a bad agreement because it is only a memorandum of understanding, not a final accord.