Iran and US on verge of major deal, senior security official says

Cairo (The Uttam Hindu): A senior Iranian security official said a framework is being prepared for possible talks with the US. "The process of establishing a framework for talks is moving forward," Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, wrote on the social media platform X.

Larijani's statement came after a meeting he held with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday, where economic cooperation as well as important regional and international issues were discussed, Xinhua news agency reported.

This statement comes at a time of rising tensions between Iran and the United States. The United States has further strengthened its military presence in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump has stated that a large naval fleet (led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln) is heading toward Iran. According to Trump, this fleet is even larger than the one sent to Venezuela. This appears to increase the risk of conflict between the two countries, although Washington has also publicly raised the possibility of diplomacy.

The US guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black made a routine stop at the Red Sea port of Eilat, the Israel Defense Forces said on Friday, reflecting continued military cooperation between the US and Israel.

On the same day, Trump said he had given Tehran a direct deadline, but declined to share further details. On Saturday, Fox News correspondent Jackie Heinrich wrote on X that she had interviewed Trump, in which the president said the US wants to continue negotiations and hopes to achieve results. She also said Washington has not informed its Middle Eastern allies about its actions regarding Iran.

Tehran has already indicated it is ready for dialogue, but only if the talks are fair and conducted without pressure or threats. Meanwhile, Iran's military chief, Amir Hatami, warned that any mistakes by the US could threaten its own security, as well as the security of Israel and the entire Middle East region.

Meanwhile, a Yemeni military source told Xinhua that the Houthi group has taken several military steps to enhance its war preparedness amid regional tensions, including fears of a possible US attack on Iran.