US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
Day 96 | Trump says Iran talks happening “continuously”, Rubio still hopeful
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States and Iran were speaking “continuously,” denying reports that Tehran had broken off contact over ‘Israel’s’ attacks on Lebanon.
Trump added that “one never knows” where the negotiations would lead, as weeks of direct and indirect talks have failed to end the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran that began on February 28.
“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today.”
Trump added: “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday expressed hope that a deal to end the war in Iran was in the cards, stressing that Tehran must severely curtail its nuclear program before any sanctions are lifted.
"There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week," Rubio told a Congressional panel.
Rubio was testifying in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as the three-month US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran appears to have reached an impasse, with the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz continuing to disrupt global energy markets.
Rubio insisted that Tehran must reopen the shipping channel for any peace agreement to take hold, while also agreeing to curb its nuclear activities in order to see sanctions lifted.
"Iran is being sanctioned because they've highly enriched uranium, Iran is being sanctioned because of their nuclear activities," Rubio said. "If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief."
Explosions heard in Qeshm Island: Iranian media
Iranian media reported Tuesday that explosions were reported an hour ago in the southern coastal area of Qeshm Island.
State TV said that “initial assessments suggest that a projectile may have struck an uninhabited coastal area between the city of Suza and the village of Masen”
Kuwait says intercepting missiles & drones
Kuwait's military said Tuesday morning that its air defense systems are "currently responding” to missile and drone attacks.
In an official statement posted on X, the Kuwait Army General Staff Headquarters confirmed: “The Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks.”
Lebanon says ‘Israeli’ strikes on south kill 5, wound hospital staff
‘Israeli’ strikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed five people, including a child, and wounded 48, the Lebanese health ministry said.
Those wounded in the strikes across the south included "a doctor and five employees of Tebnine Governmental Hospital, which sustained damage in yet another episode of the series of attacks carried out by the Israeli enemy against hospitals and health centres", the ministry said in a statement.
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Read more: Day 95 | Trump says Iran talks continue at 'rapid pace' despite suspension claims
