US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations between the United States and Iran would continue for several more days before it becomes clear whether an agreement can be reached.
“The president has expressed his desire to make a deal; he’s either going to make a good deal or no deal,” Rubio told reporters.
The United States and Israel are awaiting a response from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, following talks in Qatar between Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that “the Iranian decision-making process has been very slow because Mojtaba is difficult to reach, as he is reportedly in a secure location and recovering from injuries. As a result, every response takes time.”
Iran demands access to frozen assets
One of the main issues still under dispute is the release of frozen Iranian assets. Tehran is reportedly demanding that half of the $24 billion frozen around the world be released immediately after a framework agreement with the United States is signed, with the remainder to be released at the end of a 60-day period.
A senior US official emphasized that no funds would be unfrozen unless Iran’s enriched uranium is removed or destroyed.
“No dust, no dollars,” the official said, referring to enriched uranium.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces and US Central Command remain on high alert amid the possibility that Washington and Tehran will fail to reach an agreement and that President Donald Trump could order military action.
According to a source familiar with the matter, coordination between the two militaries continues, including ongoing communication between IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper.
“There is currently a high level of readiness, continued planning, and ongoing coordination between the militaries,” the source said. “Everyone is waiting for President Trump’s decisions, but contrary to what some may assume, security coordination continues on a routine and uninterrupted basis.”