Trump envoy met Israeli officials in Paris ahead of Iran talks – Axios

"When I was appointed to the position of Defense Minister, I pledged to lead two central goals: preventing nuclear weapons from Iran and winning the war," Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Friday.

"The IDF is currently working towards a decisive victory in all arenas," he added. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are committed, together with all parties, to leading a clear line that will prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons."

"We will not allow threats of annihilation against the State of Israel," Katz continued. "This is our responsibility and historic role, and we will do whatever it takes to realize them."

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday that the country’s future is not dependent on the outcome of nuclear negotiations, and that failure to reach an agreement would not lead to a crisis.

“If no agreement is reached, it doesn’t mean we will face problems,” Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian media. “We have not tied our progress to the talks.”

“We do not accept humiliation, but we are not after war either,” he added.

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"Debate on elements of a potential framework nuclear deal is at a very early stage among Trump's aides," Reuters cited a source briefed on a key White House meeting as saying.

US President Donald Trump and top aides discussed Iran strategy in the gathering on Tuesday, the news agency reported.

Citing two sources familiar with White House thinking, Reuters reported that Iran and the United States might reach an interim agreement before a more detailed deal.

A senior Iranian cleric said on Friday that Iran should not link its economic and political decisions to the outcome of nuclear negotiations, warning that such an approach had already caused harm during the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We must be careful not to condition our country and economy on negotiations,” said Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer Imam in the northeastern city of Mashhad. “They told us we needed the deal for water, for electricity – and we suffered greatly as a result.”

Without naming specific officials, Alamolhoda criticized those who, in his view, made national progress dependent on diplomatic outcomes. He urged authorities across all branches of government to continue development efforts regardless of talks with the United States.

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A senior Iranian cleric warned on Friday against efforts to promote the idea that the country’s economic challenges can only be resolved through negotiations with foreign powers.

“They want people to believe that without negotiations, nothing will be fixed,” said Mohammad Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani, the Friday prayer Imam in Karaj. “Be careful not to fall into the trap of the devil and his impure agents at home.”

Without naming anyone, Hamedani said some actors repeatedly tie Iran’s economic situation to foreign engagement and say that problems will only be resolved through interaction with adversaries.

He also cautioned against repeating the experience of the 2015 nuclear deal and emphasized that Iran’s negotiating team should act with care and vigilance.

Hamedani urged the public to focus on domestic production, support local industry, and remain patient. “We must invest in ourselves,” he said.

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