Diplomatic sources told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Jadeed that a breakthrough has been reached in the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, after Qatari mediators managed to overcome procedural obstacles that had been holding up the talks.

According to the reports, the contacts are focused on putting together a framework that would allow the negotiations to move forward. However, no comprehensive agreement between the two countries has been reached so far.

The report comes amid intense diplomatic efforts to head off a further escalation in the region, with Qatar continuing to serve as the main channel for passing messages between the sides.

At the same time, there are questions over whether the reported progress is real or part of President Trump’s strategy of mixing public statements, military threats and diplomatic contacts. Throughout the crisis, President Trump has made numerous and sometimes contradictory statements about Iran, leaving both sides and the international community uncertain about his true intentions.

On Monday, President Trump was asked on a podcast whether regime change is needed in Iran. He said that the US has already wiped out two levels of Iran’s leadership, so in a sense it has already changed the regime, adding that you also need to have someone to talk to.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)