US ‘temporarily’ removes two top Iranian officials from kill list

President Donald Trump claims that Iranian leaders are desperate to reach a deal but fear retribution from their own people

The US and Israel have reportedly removed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf from their hit list “temporarily” to have someone to engage with in peace negotiations.

President Donald Trump has claimed that Iranian leaders are desperate to reach a deal, but fear retribution from their own people if they publicly admit it.

“They want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people. They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us,” Trump said, without revealing who his secret interlocutors are.

Iranian officials have called reports of ongoing talks with Washington “fake news,” adding that Tehran seeks a permanent solution and not a temporary ceasefire.

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The White House has threatened to “unleash hell” unless Tehran agrees to a deal, after sending a 15-point ultimatum that Iran reportedly rejected.

The warning comes amid growing speculation that, with incoming elite airborne troop reinforcements, US forces could target Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil hub, which processes 90% of the country’s exports.

Here are the latest developments:

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the hostilities between the US, Israel, and Iran are spiraling out of control, threatening to plunge the world into a broader conflict and a deeper economic crisis.

• The US Department of War claimed on Wednesday that the almost four-week-long Operation Epic Fury remains “on plan or ahead of plan” in achieving what it described as “very clear military objectives” – even as the scope and ultimate goals of the operation remain subject to interpretation.

• Concerns over a potential ground operation have intensified following reports that the Pentagon is preparing to deploy 2,000 additional troops from an airborne assault unit to the region.

• Tehran said that its enemies – backed by an unnamed country – are preparing to occupy one of its islands. “Our forces are monitoring all enemy movements, and if they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks,” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.