An American official confirmed to the Axios news platform that America is determined to strike Iran.
He added that if Iran wants to prevent an attack on it, it must make an offer that cannot be rejected.
The tension between the United States and Iran has entered a new phase of public escalation, after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi demanded that US President Donald Trump provide evidence of his statements regarding the killing of 32,000 civilians during the suppression of protests in Iran.
Trump had described the situation in Iran as “very tragic,” saying that thousands of civilians had been killed within a short period, and noting that American pressure had prevented the implementation of an alleged Iranian plan to execute hundreds of detainees.
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On the other hand, Reuters quoted the Harana Organization as documenting 7,114 confirmed deaths, in addition to 11,700 other cases under verification, which highlights a large gap between the two accounts.
Reuters revealed that mediators handed the Iranian delegation, during a round of indirect talks, an envelope from the American side that included proposals related to the missile program.
According to an informed source, Araqchi refused to open the envelope and returned it immediately, in a move that observers interpreted as a political message reflecting the faltering negotiating path.
For its part, the White House stressed that Washington’s position is consistent, which is to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon or developing capabilities that would allow its production, in addition to stopping uranium enrichment.
Trump gave Tehran a period of between 10 and 15 days to reach an agreement, warning of “very bad things” if the negotiations fail, and assuring reporters that he is considering the option of launching a limited attack to pressure it. He later said that it was better for Iran to “negotiate a fair agreement.”
The agency quoted American officials as saying that the military plans have reached an advanced stage, amid military reinforcements in the Middle East that raise concerns.
