Trump pushes for deal as Iran weighs delaying retaliation against Israel

In the wake of Israel’s strike in Beirut’s Dahieh district and Iranian threats to respond with missile fire, an intense behind-the-scenes negotiation is unfolding on several fronts. Sources familiar with the talks and with Iran’s attack preparations say Tehran is considering postponing the launch for an unspecified period, possibly indefinitely or only for a few hours, to give President Donald Trump’s mediation effort a chance to calm tensions and reach a framework agreement tonight.

Qatari officials have been leading the mediation in recent hours. According to the sources, Trump is also weighing substantial rewards for Iran as part of the deal sequence, including the possibility of immediately lifting the naval blockade over Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, rather than phasing it in from both sides as currently planned. That would depend on Iran abandoning its attack plans.

Iranian statements had pointed to a missile strike in the evening, possibly during television news broadcasts as has happened before, but the launch was delayed once and then again after Trump’s intervention. The U.S. president reportedly sent Tehran a firm message that if Iran attacks, triggering an Israeli response and then another Iranian response, the negotiations will collapse, and he will hold Tehran responsible for what follows.

At the same time, Trump wants to keep his promise and sign an agreement today, so he is prepared to offer Iran more concessions than the United States has already granted generously in the draft arrangement. A security source said Netanyahu may have believed an Israeli strike in Dahieh would trigger escalation and collapse the talks, but instead it has, in the source’s words, given the deal a major push. Trump also publicly blasted Netanyahu in a call, telling Axios, “Why the hell did Bibi do that? I was so angry. I let him know. He has no fucking judgment, I told him that.” Trump also demanded that Netanyahu avoid further attacks on Hezbollah so as not to endanger the emerging deal with Iran.