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An advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, threatened on Thursday afternoon that Tehran might cease its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and expel its inspectors if the threat of military action against Iran continues. The advisor, Ali Shamkhani, stated that additional deterrent measures the Islamic Republic might take include transferring enriched uranium—the material necessary to produce a nuclear bomb—to secret and "safe" locations.
Shamkhani’s remarks followed yet another threat by U.S. President Donald Trump late Wednesday night, who warned that if Iran does not agree to sign a new nuclear agreement that satisfies Washington during the talks set to begin on Saturday in Oman, military action against Iran would be necessary, with Israel "leading" such an operation.
Representatives of the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to meet on Saturday, nearly seven years after Washington, during Trump's first term, withdrew from the previous nuclear agreement—a move encouraged by the Israeli government. In recent days, Trump declared the talks in Oman would be direct, involving face-to-face meetings between American and Iranian officials. However, Tehran insists that, in practice, these will be indirect negotiations conducted through mediators and envoys.
The talks between Iran and the U.S. come at a critical time, as Iran now has enough uranium enriched to 60%—very close to the 90% level required for producing nuclear weapons—to manufacture enough material for several atomic bombs within a week. Trump has given the parties 60 days to negotiate, warning that, if no satisfactory agreement is reached within that time frame, the U.S. will take military action against the Islamic Republic.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, are expected to lead the negotiations.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high in Tehran. On Wednesday, Iranian regime supporters burned the Israeli flag in Palestine Square in Tehran during a rally in support of Gaza. The American flag was also desecrated by protesters, just days before the talks are set to begin.
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Trump reiterated on Wednesday night his threat to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities if no acceptable agreement is reached. "If it requires military action, there will be military action," the president told reporters at the White House. "It’s clear that Israel will be involved in this; they will lead it. But no one leads us—we do what we want to do." He added: "I want Iran to be great. The only thing they can't have is a nuclear weapon."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also addressed the possibility of striking Iran. During his visit to Panama, he was asked by reporters whether the B-2 bombers recently deployed to a U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean were meant to send a message to Iran. Hegseth replied, "We’ll let them decide." He further described the deployment as "a significant asset that sends a message to everyone," adding: "President Trump has been clear—Iran should not have a nuclear bomb, and the president is focused on achieving this peacefully."