Efforts to Bridge the Gaps Between Washington and Tehran.. Trump Expects New Talks

Listen to the article, the audio text is automatically generated by a machine system.

Amid efforts for negotiation and the beating of war drums, American-Iranian communications are moving on the brink of a new escalation, with still wide gaps regarding contentious issues.

While U.S. President Donald Trump speaks of a new round of talks this week, he simultaneously confirms his readiness to strike Iran, while the Revolutionary Guard announces its preparedness for confrontation, in a scene where mediations race against the backdrop of escalating military threats.

The U.S. president anticipated more talks with Iran this week despite his rejection of an Iranian proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump reiterated that he believes the United States is winning the Iran war through a combination of economic pressure and military action.

Trump confirmed that America will win the war "very soon," reiterating that oil prices will drop once the war is over. Trump emphasized that the decision to return to military strikes is an option.

Trump stated that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons, according to his remarks to Fox News.

Mediators are trying to revive negotiations between the two countries, but the gaps on key issues remain wide, according to Axios.

Two regional sources suggested that a new round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran could take place early on Monday.

However, it is unclear whether the differences between the two sides can be overcome, according to the site.

Trump indicated to "Axios" that he expects more talks with Iran this week, confirming that Iran wants to reach an agreement, but not the agreement he desires.

American envoys Steve Wittekov and Jared Kushner had a new round of indirect negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York last week.

Qatari officials participated in the negotiations, as they conveyed messages between the two parties. Araghchi proposed to Wittekov to reopen the strait and resume nuclear talks within a week, provided that the United States lifts its maritime blockade, cancels the sanctions imposed on oil sales, and reinstates the ceasefire in the region.

A regional source familiar with the indirect negotiations stated that the Qatari mediators discussed the original Iranian proposal with both parties and presented each of them with a middle-ground proposal for review.

Over the weekend, Qatari mediators continued to move between the Iranian and American negotiators separately to discuss amendments to the proposal text.

It is worth mentioning that several rounds of negotiations were held between the U.S. and Iran after the war. The first round took place in mid-April in Islamabad. A second round was held to establish a ceasefire, during which a memorandum of understanding was signed. This was followed by a round in Switzerland to launch the terms of the memorandum, which quickly collapsed.

Negotiations resumed a few days ago in New York, but the gap is significant, as Washington seeks to dismantle Iran's nuclear and military arsenal, while Iran is looking for a temporary agreement that allows it to breathe without making serious concessions.

Meanwhile, Trump wants to preserve his legacy and will not run again, and he will not accept a weak and disastrous agreement like the one reached by Barack Obama, according to his statement.