Negotiations between the United States and Iran have stalled, two regional sources told The Jerusalem Post, even as Washington continues to reinforce its military presence in the Middle East.
In recent days, mediators that included Qatar, Russia and China sought to engineer a breakthrough in the talks between Tehran and Washington, aiming for progress substantial enough to avert an American military strike.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, who recently received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, wrote on X on Tuesday that "the United States' response regarding Iran's rights and demands was not convincing."
Rezaei said Washington must give a full and explicit answer to Iran's seven conditions, adding that only then would "the Strait of Hormuz be opened."
Among Tehran's demands are a complete cessation of the war, including in Gaza and Lebanon; the comprehensive lifting of all sanctions; the return of Iran's frozen assets; compensation for war damages; international guarantees against future attacks; and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, the American military buildup in the region is continuing. Several US military cargo aircraft that departed from Fort Bliss were tracked arriving at bases in Israel, according to flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24. Located in El Paso, Texas, Fort Bliss serves as a major US Army center for air and missile defense command, training and operations, and it also houses missile interceptors and air defense systems.
Several other cargo aircraft from the same base have landed in Israel in recent days.
In addition, the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its strike group were tracked near the Strait of Malacca in Asia. That position means the carrier is expected to reach the US Central Command area of responsibility by next week, potentially raising the number of American aircraft carriers in the Middle East to three, a level of military presence not seen during previous operations.
US officials told The New York Times that Central Command had prepared plans for strikes against Iran as early as Wednesday, following the American midterm elections.
"The decision on whether to carry out the strike rests with the US president," the officials said.
