Washington-Tehran: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies

The question now being asked on the international stage is how long the stalemate in negotiations between the US and Iran can continue, and whether the recent statements by the US president can be considered a warning with a single meaning, echoing a song by the legendary Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum: "Patience has its limits." More than five weeks after the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran came into effect, diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement to end the confrontation between the two sides continue to face difficulties, given the persistent gap between American and Iranian positions and demands.

In this context, US President Donald Trump said that time is running out for Iran, calling on Tehran to make a "better offer," following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

CNN reported that US President Donald Trump held a meeting on Saturday with senior members of his national security team to discuss resuming the war with Iran, according to a well-informed source, a day before he threatened Tehran, saying it must "act quickly, or nothing will be left of it." On Sunday, Trump wrote on social media: “For Iran, the clock is ticking. They must act quickly, or nothing will remain of them. Time is running out.”

According to the source, the meeting was held at Trump’s golf club in Virginia, with the participation of US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This was reported by Euronews, the Brussels-based European news network, on Monday. The report added that the meeting came hours after the Republican leader returned to Washington following an important visit to China, which has close ties with the Islamic Republic.

The network stated that “Trump’s patience is wearing thin” regarding Tehran’s handling of diplomatic negotiations, given his growing frustration with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting disruption to global oil prices.

During his visit to Beijing, the White House occupant and his team postponed making a decision on how to deal with Tehran. US administration officials said they preferred to wait for the outcome of his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping before determining the next step. The report added that the US president has recently begun seriously considering the option of resuming large-scale military operations against Iran to pressure it into making concessions that would end the war, despite his continued preference for a diplomatic settlement, as the network previously reported.

The source also indicated that he is expected to hold another meeting with his national security team early this week to follow up on developments in the war.

In the same context, informed sources reported that the US Department of Defense has prepared a series of military plans in anticipation of a possible decision to launch additional strikes against Iran, including targeting energy facilities and infrastructure within the country.

The 79-year-old president also spoke on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a spokesperson for Netanyahu and a US official.

Later, Israel's Channel 15 quoted a source as saying that Netanyahu requested the cancellation of his court hearing scheduled for Monday for political and security reasons.

For its part, Iranian media reported that Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsen Naqvi met with senior Iranian officials, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, given Pakistan's role as a key mediator in the peace talks between the United States and Iran. During the meetings, Iranian officials stated that the American presence in the Middle East contributes to destabilizing the region. Tasnim News Agency quoted Pezeshkian as saying that the United States and Israel “have always sought to sow discord among Islamic countries through divisive projects and by fostering mistrust,” adding that Iran “seeks to build sincere and stable relations based on good neighborliness with Islamic countries in the region.”