Iran Signals Readiness to Resume Talks

July 4--Iran has said that it will agree to resume nuclear talks with the U.S., according to an Iranian official quoted this morning by Amwaj Media. According to the source, who is described as a "senior" official, the talks could begin sometime next week.

A source close to the White House confirmed that it has received similar information, and stated that the groundwork for the new round of talks intending to reach a final agreement on ending Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions while guaranteeing it a robust civilian nuclear program had been laid by Qatari and Omani negotiators, who have been communicating with President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Trump-Putin Backchannel Shapes Regional De-Escalation

The source also stressed the collaboration between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as working towards a negotiated end to the crisis that had seen dangerous exchanges of air and missile attacks between Iran and Israel, following Israel's unprovoked attack on Iranian nuclear sites and other targets, which include the assassination of scientists and military officials, starting June 13. It also saw the dramatic U.S. raid with bunker buster bombs carried by B-2 bombers and sea-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles on three nuclear enrichment sites June 21, including the Fordow facility embedded 300 feet into a mountain.

Trump was only able to end the war after Putin refused Iran's request to come to its aid with military support, with new weapons and munitions, as well as the rebuilding of its air defense system that had been destroyed by the Israelis. Putin had urged the Iranians to go back to the table and work out a deal.

Russia's Role in Nuclear Oversight and Negotiation Support

In addition, the Russians had responded to Trump's request for help in the negotiations by saying that they would handle the issue of providing Iran with non-weapons grade uranium for its reactors and working with Ukraine on nuclear research.

These matters were discussed again in a two-hour phone call between Trump and Putin yesterday, part of their continuing open discussion of global strategic matters which they both want to resolve. Sources report that Trump asked the Russian leader to assure the Ukrainians that the U.S. had no further plans to attack them, as they had made such an assurance a condition of resuming the talks.

Ukraine Ceasefire Conditions and NATO Pressures

"The NATO media and the Europeans are freaked out that Putin and Trump are talking and rebuilding the most crucial relationship between these two nuclear superpowers," said the source. "That is why they were so quick to focus on the failure, so far, to work out an agreement for a ceasefire the bloody Ukraine war."

Trump, pestered by reporters on Ukraine after the call, said that he had failed to make any progress with Putin.

“I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin, because I don’t think he’s there,” he told reporters. “I’m just saying I don’t think he’s looking to stop, and that’s too bad.”

“I didn’t make any progress with him at all,” he added.

Hours later, Russia launched what the Ukrainians said was the largest missile and drone attack on Kyiv of the war, doing extensive damage to housing and infrastructure, but killing or injuring very few civilians. Ukraine claimed that nearly 90% of the attacking missiles and drones were intercepted; some of the damage appeared to be from debris from those interceptions.

Trump is being pressed by NATO and the Europeans and their Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelenskyy to slap sanctions on the Russians to force them to agree to a 30-day or longer ceasefire, and renewed negotiations. So far Trump has resisted this, because he knows it will have little real effect on the Russians.

Putin's Preconditions and Trump's Strategy Going Forward

Sources report that Putin has made it clear to Trump that he wants some agreements prior to any ceasefire. First, he wants a statement from NATO that further expansion eastward, including to Ukraine, is off the table, and Ukraine will never be a NATO member. Second, he wants Ukraine to stop insisting that Russia give back to Ukraine the four eastern oblasts that have since joined the Russian Federation and Crimea, which did so in 2014. Third, he wants an agreement that no additional aid will be shipped to Ukraine or repositioned to front lines during the ceasefire. And finally, the Russians do not recognize the legitimacy of Zelenskyy's government, whose term of office expired last May, and want a commitment to hold elections.

Sources report that Trump wants to get some of these things handled, so a ceasefire can be agreed to; first, he will get NATO to pledge no further eastward expansion. Then, he thinks he can work something out on the aid, by simply stopping shipments during the ceasefire. He may talk with Zelenskyy about this in a phone call tomorrow. "Right now, he does not see sanctions working on Putin, who thinks with good reason that he could deal a crushing blow to NATO and Ukraine with a summer offensive," said a source. "The real work has to be done with that punk Zelenskyy, who Trump thinks may be a drug addict and delusional."

The source said that Trump is looking for some flexibility from the Russian leader, "and when he has something to show him, he thinks Putin will respond."

But Trump, in Iran and elsewhere, has seen the value of the special relationship developing between the two leaders, and he wants that to continue. The source said the president was pleased that Putin wished the United States well as it enters the year of the 250th anniversary of its victory over the forces of British colonial imperialism, reminding Trump of his nation's support of America in that battle against the British.