Trump speaks to Netanyahu as US weighs renewed military action against Iran: Report
US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Washington weighed the possibility of renewed military action against Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the conversation.
The call followed a White House meeting earlier in the week, during which Trump consulted senior military officials on strategic options for resuming major combat operations, the newspaper reported.
Rubio says Iran talks are ongoing
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said diplomatic talks with Iran had continued uninterrupted but declined to set a deadline or comment on their progress. He added that President Trump had not yet decided on whether to resume military action.
Speaking to reporters after the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Georgia, Rubio said Washington remained open to a diplomatic solution that addressed its core security concerns. He accused Tehran of engaging in maritime activities that threaten commercial shipping and supporting regional armed groups that, according to Washington, contribute to instability across the Middle East.
“There are multiple talks; talks have actually never stopped. There’s been active conversations going both in some cases directly, but often through intermediaries,” Rubio stated.
The top American diplomat was responding to questions about how much time Washington intended to allow diplomatic efforts before potentially resuming military operations. He emphasised that decisions on timing rested solely with the President and declined to assess whether a final agreement was close.Â
“I’m not gonna characterise either the progress on those talks or any timeframe on it other than to tell you that if there is a diplomatic solution, we would be open to it,” he remarked.
Iran says US has ‘completely shifted tone’
Iran’s top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, has said that the United States has “completely shifted tone” in a letter from Vice President JD Vance, Al Jazeera reported. The statement marks the first on-the-record Iranian reaction to the diplomatic overture, even as US President Donald Trump continues to maintain that Tehran is seeking negotiations.
“Their tone has shifted completely, which is a good sign that shows that our people have secured their victory,” Rezaei told state broadcaster IRIB.
Vance’s letter was delivered to Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, through Qatari mediators on Sunday. According to The New York Times, the proposal envisages direct talks under Vance’s leadership, with Iran’s nuclear programme forming part of the discussions from the beginning.
 Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, citing a source, reported that the communication outlined a “framework for negotiations” rather than specific peace terms. The report added that the letter was dispatched at Trump’s direction.
(With ANI inputs)
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