Trump's former envoy says military pressure boosted Iran talks leverage

Iran will apply its own amendments to the draft memorandum of understanding in talks with the United States, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News reported, citing an informed source.

"The exchange of texts is continuing, and Iran will naturally apply its own amendments to the text as well. Nothing has been finalized yet," the source was quoted as saying.

The source said amendments proposed by President Donald Trump did not mean they had been accepted by Iran, adding that Tehran was fully prepared if no agreement is reached.

Bahrain’s Public Prosecution has launched investigations into an organization allegedly linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the country's state news agency BNA reported.

The report said the organization was formed by members of the dissolved Islamic Scholars Council and sought to facilitate Iranian interference in Bahrain’s internal affairs.

Investigations found the organization sought to control mosques and religious seminaries and use their platforms to promote allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader over Bahrain’s constitutional order, the report said.

The Public Prosecution has interrogated 41 suspects and ordered their detention pending investigation, the report added.

The report said orders had been issued to lift the confidentiality of the suspects’ bank accounts and freeze their accounts and assets.

Investigations also found funds had been collected to finance the organization, with part of the money transferred to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon to support and finance terrorist organizations there, the report added.

Masoud Payahoo, who recorded a viral video of a lone protester sitting before security forces during Iran’s nationwide protests in January, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on accusations of alleged cooperation with Israel, Tehran-based Emtedad news website reported.

His lawyer, Hassan Aghakhani, said Payahoo had recorded the video spontaneously and had no intention of making it public, adding that he had shared it only with a limited number of friends in a private Instagram story.

The 10-year sentence was upheld by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court and referred for enforcement, Aghakhani said adding that Payahoo must now report to prison.

President Donald Trump’s edits to the US-Iran memorandum of understanding included somewhat significant changes related to the Strait of Hormuz and the removal of highly enriched uranium, CBS News reported, citing a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

The broad strokes of the memorandum include a 60-day cessation of violence, clauses calling for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a framework to reopen negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, the report said.

The arrangement also involves the potential for waivers or sanctions relief that could allow Iran to access billions in frozen assets depending on the progress of diplomacy, the report added citing multiple sources.

In the letter sent on Sunday, Pezeshkian stressed that the president and the government have effectively been excluded from major and vital decision-making processes in the country, and that the vacuum created by this situation has enabled hardline factions within the IRGC to take control of affairs, the source said.

Pezeshkian added that under such circumstances he is unable to run the government and carry out his legal responsibilities, and for that reason has requested to step down immediately.

It is not yet clear whether Mojtaba Khamenei will accept the president's resignation, but the contents of the letter point to a deep and unprecedented rift at the highest levels of power.

This comes after months of tensions between the government and the Islamic Republic’s military-security institutions. Iran International previously reported that the IRGC had gradually restricted many presidential powers and effectively taken control of key parts of the government.

According to informed sources, the situation has left Pezeshkian’s administration trapped in a political and executive deadlock, preventing diplomatic negotiations from moving forward and the completion and implementation of desired changes to the cabinet structure.