Bezhakian Blames Washington for Failure of Interim Deal, Calls for New Negotiating Attempt
Iranian President Masoud Bezhakian accused the United States of causing the collapse of negotiations on an interim deal and called for a new negotiating effort, while a U.S. intelligence chief warned of increased attempts to target Americans.
On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Bezhakian blamed the United States for the failure of talks over an interim agreement with Tehran, but said there was a need for a new negotiating attempt to conclude it.
Bezhakian said the negotiations were ongoing and that they had been ruined by what he described as "the cowards (the Americans)," adding that he still believed it was necessary to move forward to conclude the agreement.
In Washington, the head of U.S. National Intelligence, Jay Clayton, warned that Iran had significantly intensified its efforts to target Americans both inside the Middle East and beyond.
Clayton's warning came in a memo sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which he said intelligence indicated a noticeable increase in Tehran's efforts to target U.S. citizens, adding that lethal Iranian plots against Americans had reached advanced stages both within the region and in other countries.
Separately, on Friday U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States was capable of ending a war with Iran quickly, but he questioned whether Washington should seek to end it rapidly or let the conflict fade gradually.
