US President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Tuesday that a deal with Tehran is in sight, and said that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others were leadingnegotiations.
An Iranian source told CNN there had been "outreach" between Washington and Tehran. Though Iranian representatives have let the Trump administration know itdoes not want to re-enter negotiationswith special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to two regional sources, who said Tehran would prefer to engage with the vice president.
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The chatter around negotiations to end the war comes as around 1,000 US soldiers with the Army's 82nd Airborne Divisionare expecting to deployin coming days to the Middle East, sources told CNN, and as countries take further measures to alleviate the impact of rising energy costs.
Here's what to know on Day 26.
What are the main headlines?
US-Iran negotiations: An Iranian source told CNN that Tehran is willing to listen to "sustainable" proposals to end the war. For now, a meeting between the US and Iran in Islamabad later this week remains a possibility — but even those advocating it are skeptical that it will actually happen, sources said.
A mystery "present"? Trump alluded to an "oil and gas related" goodwill gesture from the Iranians that he suggested would aid diplomatic efforts to end the war. He said it was "related to the flow" through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil thoroughfare that's been effectively shut down. Earlier, Iran's Foreign Ministry firmly denied any dialogue between Tehran and Washington, according to state-affiliated media.
"Economic terrorism": Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency Tuesday, warning that there was an "imminent danger" to the "availability and stability of the country's energy supply." South Korea could limit the export of domestically produced naphtha, an essential material for petrochemical products, over supply concerns, an official said. Meanwhile, the effective closure of the strait is "economic terrorism against every nation," said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
Israel expands mobilization: Israel is set to approve a major increase in the number of reserve soldiers it can mobilize – setting a new limit of 400,000, up from 280,000. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military will continue to operate in Lebanon against Hezbollah, with a specific focus on controlling the Litani River and its remaining bridges. Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,000 people, including more than 100 children, since the bombing campaign began. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israel's targeting of infrastructure, including bridges, along the Litani River "aims to isolate villages and towns… from the rest of Lebanon."
More attacks: Drones hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, causing a fire at the site, the country's civil aviation authority said early Wednesday. At least nine people, including six children, were wounded after an Iranian missile launch struck a city in central Israel, emergency officials reported Tuesday. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said a projectile struck the grounds of its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday night, and described the incident as a "renewed attack" by the US and Israel.
What else is happening?
Iran security chief: Iran appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) veteran, to lead its national security after Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli strike last week. Zolghadr is a loyalist of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and analysts say his elevation signals Khamenei is tightening his grip on power.
Americans wounded: About 290 US service members have been injured during combat operations targeting Iran as of Tuesday, ticking up from approximately 200 last week, according to a spokesperson for US Central Command. Most of the wounded have returned to duty, the spokesperson said.
Diplomatic efforts: Qatar said it is working "very closely" with the US to bring about an end to the war with Iran, however its foreign ministry spokesperson said that his country is not making any efforts to directly mediate between the US and Iran. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it wants Tehran's cruise and ballistic missile capabilities degraded "as much as possible" before the war ends, a regional official familiar with the Saudi position told CNN.
Resolution rejected: Senate Republicans have again rejected a resolution aimed at requiring Trump to seek congressional approval for future US military action against Iran. This is the third time since the current conflict between the US and Iran started that Democrats have forced an unsuccessful vote over Iran war powers.
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