Iran’s top religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has given his endorsement to a new nuclear negotiation proposal crafted by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to sources speaking to Channel 12. However, the document has yet to reach American officials.
The development comes after U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner asked for Iran’s response following last week’s diplomatic meetings in Geneva. American negotiators had expected to receive the proposal within several days, ahead of Thursday’s scheduled continuation of talks. U.S. officials have indicated that these upcoming discussions could be the last chance for a peaceful resolution, with military action being considered as an alternative, Channel 12 reported.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi expressed his country’s commitment to reaching a deal as negotiations prepare to restart in Geneva. “We are ready to reach an agreement as soon as possible. We will do whatever it takes to make this happen. We will enter the negotiating room in Geneva with complete honesty and good faith,” Takht-Ravanchi stated through Iranian government media.
The Iranian official also issued a warning about potential military consequences, saying “If there is an attack or aggression against Iran, we will respond according to our defense plans … A US attack on Iran is a real gamble.”
Foreign Minister Araghchi released his own statement indicating that Iran would proceed with discussions building on previous agreements, noting that talks would continue “with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal—in the shortest possible time.”
Araghchi emphasized that Iran “will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon,” while pushing back against requirements to abandon what he described as the nation’s entitlement to “peaceful nuclear technology.”
At the same time, the United States has been strengthening its military presence in the region. The Times of Israel confirmed that American F-22 stealth aircraft that left the United Kingdom have been stationed at an Israeli Air Force facility in southern Israel.
Eleven F-22 jets successfully departed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England, with one aircraft returning due to mechanical problems. These planes had been at the British base for several days following their arrival last week, reportedly delayed by refueling support complications.
This military positioning occurs as President Donald Trump considers authorizing strikes against Iran. Recent days have seen numerous American combat aircraft—including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s, and F-16s—moving toward the Middle East region, according to the Military Air Tracking Alliance.
