Ex-envoy says Trump won't let Iran drag out talks indefinitely
"Trump has clearly delineated a deadline for Iran talks, and we know that as the author of 'Art of the Deal', he's not allowing the Iranians to drag this out indefinitely," former State Department deputy special envoy Ellie Cohanim told Fox News on Monday.
US President Donald Trump sent a letter in March to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei which included a two-month deadline for reaching a new nuclear deal.
Trump indicated to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there are 60 days from Saturday April 12 allocated for nuclear talks with Iran, Israel's Channel 12 reported on Tuesday.
“Given the ongoing talks with the US government, what happens to the slogan ‘Death to America’?” an Iranian state TV host asked former Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast.
Mehmanparast responded: “If the United States changes its behavior, it too can become one of the friends who benefits from the potential of the Iranian people.”
An Iranian man stands on a US flag, as they attend an anti US demonstration, marking the 40th anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover, near the old US embassy in Tehran, Iran November 4, 2019.
Former senior National Security Council official Michael Allen said on Monday that Israel has been eager to strike Iran sometime this year and ought to agree with United States on the desirability of the Washington's talks with Tehran.
"Israel and the United States need to come to an agreement that this is the right way to go, because I think Israel doesn't trust Iran at all. I think they want to bomb them this calendar year," he told Fox News in an interview.
"Netanyahu is saying to himself, I don't want this window to pass with us going down this negotiations pathway ... I maybe can begin to solve this problem forever," he added.
A former Iranian nuclear negotiator and US-based academic said future US-Iran talks should alternate be hosted by the Omani embassy in Tehran and Washington.
"The best option would be to hold the next rounds of talks at the Omani Embassy, alternating in Tehran and Washington," Hossein Mousavian wrote on X.
"A meeting between Mr. Witkoff and Iranian parliamentarians in Tehran, and between Mr. Araghchi and members of the U.S. Congress in Washington, would help both sides better understand one another, facilitating a sustainable deal," he added.
Two main groups oppose any de-escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States, but the severe economic impact of sanctions will ultimately push Tehran towards a deal, according to Iranian analyst Sadegh Zibakalam.
Speaking to Rouydad 24 news website, Zibakalam identified the two opposing factions as those with deeply held anti-American and anti-Israel ideological beliefs, and those he termed sanctions profiteers who benefit from the continuation of the current strained relations.
"Basically, I think that in Iran, there are generally two groups or two currents present who are wholeheartedly opposed to any de-escalation with the United States and are not willing to accept ending anti-US slogans and exporting the revolution at all," Zibakalam said.
On the motivations of the sanctions profiteers, he said, "This group does not want Iran to move towards de-escalation and a kind of understanding and agreement with America so that sanctions are lifted; because a part of circumventing the sanctions is the responsibility of these individuals and this specific group, and since they do not want to give up these huge economic benefits, they will do anything to prevent Iran and America from reaching an agreement."
Pakistan called on Iranian authorities to identify and detain those responsible for the killing of eight Pakistani nationals in southeastern Iran.
Armed assailants stormed an auto repair shop in Mehrestan County in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province on Friday and killed the workers at close range.
"Pakistan strongly condemned the inhumane and cowardly killing of its nationals in Iran," Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday.
"The leadership and people of Pakistan are deeply saddened and disturbed by this tragic incident. The Prime Minister has expressed heartfelt condolences for the bereaved families."
"We hope for Iranian side's full cooperation in investigating the matter and in timely repatriation of victims' remains," the statement added.
According to Halvash, an advocacy group for the Baluch people, the incident took place early Friday in the village of Hizabad-e Paein.
The victims—car mechanics and bodywork specialists from Pakistan’s Punjab province—were living and working at the repair shop when gunmen entered the premises, tied their hands and feet, and shot them.
Iranian security forces were deployed to the site following the killings, and the area was placed under heightened surveillance, according to Halvash.
Photos and ID cards of the eight Pakistani nationals killed in Iran
Iran has officially denounced the killings as an "act of terrorism." In a statement on Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said that the country’s security and judicial authorities are determined to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Asr-e Iran website reported that a group calling itself the Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
The armed group operates on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border and has been involved in previous attacks on state and civilian targets.
The Iranian embassy in Islamabad also issued a statement condemning the act as “inhumane and cowardly.”
In January 2024, Iran and Pakistan exchanged rare cross-border strikes targeting militant groups. Iran launched missiles at what it said were Jaish al-Adl positions inside Pakistan, prompting a retaliatory Pakistani strike on Baloch separatist camps in Iranian territory.
Jaish al-Adl is an armed opposition groups to the Islamic republic.
The strikes marked the most serious escalation in years along the shared frontier.
