A recent development in the Middle East has seen Iran reportedly sending messages to Israel and the United States through Arab intermediaries, with the aim of ending hostilities and resuming talks on its nuclear program.
According to the Wall Street Journal, citing official sources, Tehran has informed Arab representatives that it is open to returning to the negotiating table, provided the United States does not participate in the hostilities.
Simultaneously, Iran has signalled to Israel that it is in the interest of both sides to curb the violence. If there is no prospect of resuming talks with the United States, Iran may accelerate its nuclear program and expand the scope of the conflict, as the threat from Tehran suggests.
Meanwhile, Israel has launched an attack on a military base in western Tehran, according to state media. The Iranian news agency Fars reported that the strikes had triggered the country’s air defense system.
Less than an hour prior, Israel had issued an evacuation warning for parts of the Iranian capital. In a statement initially published in Farsi, Israel’s defense forces called on citizens to leave the affected area in District 3 of Tehran immediately.
Since Israel’s attack on multiple facilities in Iran on the night of the previous day, at least 224 people have been killed in the country, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. Israel, on the other hand, claims that 24 people have died as a result of Iranian counterattacks.