US Expects Iran-Oman Hormuz Shipping Deal Soon 
Russian Strikes Kill Six in Eastern and Northern Ukraine, Dozens Injured 
US Continues Ukraine Patriot Missile Production Talks Despite Trump Doubts 
Bezalel Smotrich Faces Election Battle as Israel’s Far-Right Vote Fractures 
Taiwan President Lai Oversees Coastal Strike Drills in Han Kuang War Games 
Russian Strikes on Ukraine Kill Six, Wound Dozens in Balakliia and Sumy 
Canada, US Hold Constructive Trade Talks as Tariff Negotiations Continue 
Joe Biden’s Prostate Cancer Has Spread Further, Hunter Biden Says 
SEC Moves to Dismiss Insider Trading Case Against Trump-Pardoned Terren Peizer 
Mark Carney Jokes About Teleprompter, Takes Swipe at Trump 
Germany Warns of Daily Hybrid Warfare Threats 
Colombia President Abelardo De La Espriella Pledges Drug Crackdown, Economic Reforms 
Ukraine Agrees to Protect Kazakhstan Oil Exports via Black Sea 
Zelensky Urges Faster NATO Action on Air Defense Missiles 
Senate Majority Leader John Thune Moves to Advance Crypto Clarity Act 
Rubio, UK’s Miliband Stress Stronger European Security Role in Washington Talks 
Trump Unveils $3 Billion U.S. Critical Minerals Push 
The final round of discussions between western powers and Iran over the nuclear deal is still ongoing. However, both US and Iranian officials have suggested that the discussions are coming to an end, with the hopes of reaching an agreement.
From the ongoing discussions in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal, officials from both sides have indicated that the talks are coming to an end, with a chance of reaching an agreement. Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani said Wednesday that both sides are very close to reaching a deal from the discussions in Vienna.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the next few days would determine whether the nuclear deal with Iran could be restored.
“Our assessment is that we are in the midst of the very final stages of, as I said before, a complex negotiation with the key stakeholders here,” said Price. “This is a decisive period during which we’ll be able to determine whether a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA is in the offing or if it’s not.”
“After weeks of intensive talks, we are closer than ever to an agreement; nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, though,” Kani tweeted around the same time Price made the comments. Kani also called on his counterparts in Vienna to steer clear of “intransigence” and learn from what happened from Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the deal. Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018 and instead imposed sanctions on Iran.
Meanwhile, in the midst of the ongoing negotiations, Reuters reports Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Thursday that the country will continue to develop a peaceful nuclear capacity to preserve independence. In a televised speech, Khamenei said that the country is in need of nuclear energy that would be used in a peaceful manner. Khamenei explained that should Iran not pursue nuclear energy, their independence will be in the balance.
“We will sooner or later need peaceful nuclear energy. If we do not pursue it…our independence will be harmed,” said the Iranian leader.
“Diplomatic efforts by our revolutionary brothers in trying to get rid of the sanctions are also good but the main task is to neutralize the sanctions,” Khamenei continued.
