Trump is waving war again. The Revolutionary Guards bomb American bases
US President Donald Trump said that Iran's leaders have no choice but to reach an agreement, indicating that the resolution of the file may be through a written agreement or through a more difficult path.
Trump added in an interview with NBC that Iran has between 21 and 22 percent of its missiles left, claiming that his country has "completely destroyed the Iranian army and they have only a few missiles and drones left," and continued, "We know exactly the number and locations of the remaining Iranian missiles and drones and the locations of their factories."
The US president considered that Iran's leaders are "strong, but they will have to take steps that they never imagined," but that will take time, noting that "we have reached a point where we will end the Iranian file very quickly."
Trump stressed that resolving matters with Iran would be "very strong in one way or another," describing the naval blockade that "we are currently imposing on Iran is unbelievable and the world has never seen before."
Axios: Iran-US negotiations are in their final stage
The American website "Axios" reported that disagreements between the United States and Iran continue on a number of outstanding issues, most notably the size and timing of the frozen Iranian funds that will be released.
U.S. officials said negotiations are in their final stages, but it is not yet clear whether an agreement will be reached, noting that there is a disagreement between Washington and Tehran over the size and timing of the release of the frozen funds.
Axios added that the White House has received positive signals from Iranian negotiators, and that President Trump's administration is awaiting an official Iranian response and describes the remaining differences as relatively limited.
According to a report by the US website, Trump asked for Tehran's approval to include a 60-day deadline to complete the uranium reduction process in any possible agreement.
Washington has formed a team of about 100 experts to participate in the negotiations once a preliminary agreement is reached, while keeping them in a state of readiness in anticipation of the start of deeper negotiations.
Iran: Trump-Khamenei meeting is 'unrealistic'
Iran's Supreme Leader's military adviser, Mohsen Rezaei, linked any potential peace deal with the United States to the Trump administration's agreement to release $24 billion in frozen Iranian funds, calling it a "test of confidence" that Washington must pass.
During an interview with CNN in Tehran, Rezaei said the negotiations had reached a "dead end," warning that a resumption of war would lead the United States into a "dark tunnel" and that Iran would expand the confrontation beyond the Gulf, to the Indian Ocean, the Bab al-Mandeb, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
Rezaei said the release of the funds is a necessary step to "open a new horizon" in relations between the two countries, while the network reported that Tehran is demanding the release of $12 billion immediately after signing an interim agreement, and another $12 billion at a later stage.
U.S. officials, however, fear that providing these funds now could cost Washington a key leverage in the negotiations.
In another context of Iranian escalation , Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi completely ruled out the possibility of holding a meeting between Trump and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, calling the proposal "unrealistic" in the current circumstances, while Trump continued to express his readiness to meet with Khamenei "if an agreement is reached."
IRGC attacks 'US bases'
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for attacks "in the region" in response to "US aggression", with Iranian state television quoting the IRGC as saying it had targeted US bases in the region with missiles, in response to what it described as the US military's "aggression" on Serik and Qeshm Island in southern Iran.
Earlier, the US military announced raids on Iranian radar sites in Juruk and Qeshm Island, and the Kuwaiti army had previously announced that air defenses were currently repelling missile attacks and enemy drones.
The Kuwaiti General Staff explained that the sounds of explosions, if heard, are the result of the interception of air defense systems to hostile attacks, calling on everyone to abide by the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities, while the sirens sounded in the State of Bahrain after countering attacks with drones and missiles.