Iran is not the only issue on US foreign policy agenda, Khamenei advisor says

Iran’s Farhikhtegan daily on Tuesday highlighted both potential benefits and significant risks of a proposed nuclear consortium involving Persian Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The paper said that one of Iran’s proposals in Sunday’s negotiations with the United States was to allow regional oversight of uranium enrichment as a way to demonstrate the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. It noted that similar plans had been discussed by Iranian officials in previous administrations.

Supporters of the idea, the daily wrote, believe “this proposal could help break the deadlock in negotiations and strengthen ties with regional countries.”

However, Farhikhtegan warned the plan lacks clarity, asking: “If enriched material is transferred to a Persian Gulf state and placed under their supervision, what will be the mechanism for its storage, and where exactly will it be held?”

The editorial also questioned Iran’s ability to respond if pressure is applied through regional actors: “If the American side, through influence, pushes these countries to destroy the enriched material, what mechanism does Iran have to counter that?”

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.