Iran unlikely to accept US demands as Trump pursues deal - Reuters

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they would target Israeli troop positions in northern Israel and the Gaza Strip if Israel attacks civilians in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

In a statement, the Guards said Israel had “crossed all red lines” and warned that any such attacks would bring a response.

They said areas where Israeli forces are massed in northern Israel and around the Gaza Strip would come under “heavy missile and drone attacks” “without any limitation.”

A senior Iranian lawmaker said there would be no negotiations with the United States and warned that Iran could escalate pressure in energy markets.

Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of parliament, said Washington had made a “strategic mistake” and failed to weaken Iran’s system, adding that the country would not return the Strait of Hormuz to normal conditions.

“There is no negotiation,” he said.

Israel’s military said on Tuesday it carried out strikes on missile sites in western and central Iran and hit intelligence-related facilities in Tehran.

The Israel Defense Forces said more than 50 targets were attacked overnight, including sites used to launch and store ballistic missiles.

It said the strikes also hit facilities linked to the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence arm and Iran’s intelligence ministry, as well as weapons and air defense storage sites.

Israel said the operations aimed to expand its air superiority over Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled readiness to move toward a deal in a phone call with US envoy Steve Witkoff, Ynet reported.

Citing people familiar with the conversation, the report said Araghchi told US counterparts that Iran had approval from new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to “close the issue quickly” provided Tehran’s conditions were met.

It said the call, which also involved the other US envoys Jared Kushner, reflected ongoing contacts despite Iran’s public denial of negotiations after US President Donald Trump said he had had productive talks with Iran.

The report said gaps between the sides remained significant and added that Israel was not part of the talks and learned of them through other sources.

Israel’s military said on Tuesday that it had identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory and that air defense systems were operating to intercept them.

The military said the Home Front Command had sent precautionary alerts to mobile phones in relevant areas and urged the public to follow instructions.