Iran daily weighs risks of Persian Gulf nuclear consortium proposal

Iran’s reformist daily Shargh on Tuesday urged the government to engage in direct negotiations with the United States, warning that continued reliance on indirect channels weakens Tehran’s diplomatic stance.

“In the sensitive situation we are in, Iran’s official insistence on indirect talks remains a point of weakness,” the paper wrote. “If there is genuine will for an agreement, text-based exchanges may suffice, but they do not match the high stakes of the negotiations.”

The editorial warned that maintaining distance undermines Iran’s position, especially as other actors, including Israel, have direct access to US officials. “Personal rapport matters in diplomacy. The Israeli side has full access to American officials, while we refuse even to stand beside them,” Shargh said.

The fourth round of nuclear talks, held on Sunday, was described as positive by both sides, though no significant progress was reported. Shargh argued that without direct engagement, efforts risk stalling at a time when both political and economic pressures are mounting.

US President Donald Trump embarks on a visit to the region, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The US military is replacing its B-2 bombers with B-52s at a base in the Indo-Pacific that was seen as being in an ideal location to operate in the Middle East, Reuters reported on Monday citing US officials.

The Pentagon deployed as many as six B-2 bombers in March to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, amid a US bombing campaign in Yemen and mounting tensions with Iran.

The Pentagon deployed as many as six B-2 bombers in March to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, amid a US bombing campaign in Yemen and mounting tensions with Iran.

Experts say that this had put the B-2s, which have stealth technology and are equipped to carry the heaviest US bombs and nuclear weapons, in a position to operate in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump announced last week that a deal had been reached to stop bombing Yemen's Houthi group.

The B-2 bombers had been used to carry out strikes against the Iran-backed group.

An Iranian lawmaker has warned that failed negotiations between Iran and the United States could trigger inflation in the market.

“If the negotiations reach a deadlock, we will witness the effects of psychological inflation in the market, so measures must be taken now to control the situation,” said Mostafa Pourdehghan, who represents Ardakan in the central Yazd province.

Pourdehghan also pointed to recent remarks by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, suggesting that the United States has not maintained a consistent position between what it says in the negotiations and what it expresses publicly.

“This means it is difficult to be optimistic about the talks under these conditions,” he said.