Trump made Iran ceasefire proposal, Macron says

Tehran and the White House are discussing the possibility of a meeting this week joining Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff, Axios reported citing four sources briefed on the issue.

The subject, Axios reported, would be a nuclear deal and an Israel-Iran ceasefire.

"They do want to talk," Axios cited a senior US official as saying. "But what we don't know is, 'have they been brought to their knees fully so that they realize that in order to have a country, they have to talk?' And assuming they get there, is there any degree of enrichment you would allow them to have?"

The official said Trump sees the potential use of US bunker-busting bombs which could be used on Iran's nuclear program as potential leverage in the talks with Iran.

British maritime security firm Ambrey flagged an incident near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, without elaborating.

It said it was aware of an incident 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in United Arab Emirates.

"We've pulled off a number of surprises. When the dust settles, you're going to see some surprises on Thursday night and Friday that will make the beeper operation almost seem simple," Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to Washington told Merit TV on Monday in an interview.

Leiter suggested only the United States had the air power to knock out a formidable underground nuclear facility in Iran from the sky.

“In order for Fordow to be taken out by a bomb from the sky, the only country in the world that has that bomb is the United States," he said.

"That’s a decision the United States has to take, whether or not it chooses to actually pursue that course,” he said.

US President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to seek a meeting with Iranian officials as soon as possible, CNN reported citing a person familiar with the matter and a US official.

Trump aims to determine, CNN added, whether Iran is serious about diplomacy to end its conflict with Israel.

"What you're watching in real time is peace through strength, and America first. Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region, to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal, and we certainly hope that's what happens here," US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday evening.

"So when you see jets and you see air defense assets and counter UAS assets, that's because my job as the secretary of defense is to ensure that our people are safe and that we're strong, so that we can set the conditions for a deal," Hegseth added.

"And President Trump's made it clear, it's on the table. The question is whether Iran will take, it all right, so the deal is still on the table, but all options are on the table."

"We believe that Iran, as president has said from the beginning, should not have a nuclear weapon. That position hasn't changed," Hegseth said. "They can give it up peacefully. That position hasn't changed.

"As a result, right now, we've got assets in the region, and we're going to defend them, and we're going to we're going to be strong in the process ... We're strong, we're prepared, we're defensive and present."

A White House official denied an Israeli news report alleging US participation in Israeli attacks on Iran.

Alex Pfeiffer, an assistant to President Donald Trump and deputy communications director for the White House called the Channel 14 story "fake news".

"U.S. is NOT joining Israel offensively in it's military operation, per US officials," CBS reporter Jennifer Jacobs wrote on X on Monday.

"Despite reports that President Trump asked the (National Security Council) and Situation Room to be readied, I'm told NSC cabinet members are already on standby 24 hours a day, including since Israel's Operation Rising Lion began."

US President Donald Trump has proposed a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

"There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions," Macron told reporters at the G7 summit in Canada.

"We have to see now whether the sides will follow."

"Because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.

"AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Some of Trump's supporters have criticized Trump's hawkish stance on Iran as a deviation from his populist and anti-war campaign promises.

"Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!'" Trump added, referring to a right-wing critic of conflict with Iran.