Washington: US President Donald Trump has reportedly set a two-month deadline for negotiating a new nuclear deal with Iran. This information comes from a report by Axios, indicating that the deadline was communicated to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei through a letter.
According to Anadolu Agency, the letter’s timeline was confirmed by a US official and two other sources familiar with the situation. However, there is ambiguity regarding whether the deadline begins from the letter’s delivery or the start of any potential negotiations. The letter reached Khamenei through a diplomatic chain involving Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Witkoff initially handed the letter to Sheikh Mohammed in Abu Dhabi, who then coordinated with UAE envoy Anwar Gargash to deliver it to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran.
In other developments, following a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Trump announced that peace talks to end the conflict in Ukraine are progressing positively. The call was described as “very good” and lasted around an hour. Trump mentioned that part of the discussion involved aligning Russia and Ukraine’s requests and needs after his previous call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Furthermore, US special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine could be realized within weeks. Witkoff noted in a television appearance that a deal is well underway, and easing anti-Russian sanctions would be contingent upon a ceasefire agreement. He also confirmed upcoming meetings on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
In other news, the US Federal Reserve has decided to maintain its federal funds rate within the 4.25%-4.50% range, as anticipated by market forecasts.