US, Israel May Resume Iran Airstrikes if Talks Stall: WSJ

The US and Israel are planning to resume airstrikes on Iran within days if the stalled ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran continue to make no progress, and mediators are making all-out efforts to prevent such a situation, the US daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 22nd (local time).

According to the WSJ report, the immediate goal of the ongoing talks is not a formal ceasefire agreement, but to extend the fragile ceasefire that has been precariously maintained since the 8th of last month and to sign a letter of intent (LOI) or memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide a framework for future talks.

Pakistan and other regional countries participating in the talks as mediators are striving to narrow the differences between the US and Iran.

The US Donald Trump administration wants to include provisions to curb Iran's nuclear program in the agreement, but Iran wants to limit immediate agreement points to ending the war, lifting restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, and easing financial sanctions.

The deadlock to break is to resolve the disagreement on which issues to address within the framework of the agreement and which to postpone to the next stage.

If even this limited agreement cannot be reached, the US and Israel plan to carry out short-term airstrikes targeting economic sectors such as Iran's energy infrastructure for a few days.

This is intended to increase pressure on the Iranian regime to agree to a deal, but Iran has warned that if the US and Israel launch new attacks, it will respond with widespread retaliation.

Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, arrived in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on the 22nd to promote efforts to prevent the resumption of hostilities, which WSJ pointed out as a sign that the talks are at a critical juncture.

The Qatari negotiation team is also staying in Tehran.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia warned Iran that the situation could escalate further if an agreement is not reached now.

Nate Swanee, an expert on Iran, said, "What is certain is that time is not on Trump's side." "He seems to want to get out of the conflict even more desperately than Iran, so he will either have to change his expectations for the outcome Iran should deliver, or resume military escalation without a clear strategic objective."

Swanee served as the Iran Director at the US White House National Security Council (NSC) from 2022 to 2025 during the Joe Biden administration, and worked with the US Trump 2nd administration's Iran negotiation team in the spring and summer of 2025.

Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, reiterated the US demand on the 22nd that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, explaining that this means addressing Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities and its stockpile of nuclear material close to weapons-grade.

He told reporters in Brussels, "There has been some progress. I don't want to exaggerate it, and I don't want to downplay it."

Iran wants to end the war through an agreement, remove the risk of being attacked again, and resolve the mutual maritime blockade between the US and Iran in the region, but it maintains that it cannot be forced to make nuclear concessions from the outset.

The US wants Iran to promise a long-term suspension of its uranium enrichment program within the framework of the agreement and to hand over nuclear fissionable material close to weapons-grade to the US.

US government officials said the scope of sanctions relief would depend on the nuclear-related measures Iran ultimately commits to.

President Trump's dilemma is whether to risk the spread of war, which could lead to renewed airstrikes across the region, or to show flexibility on his demands regarding Iran's nuclear program.

The US and Israel carried out more than 20,000 airstrikes during the war, but Iran did not agree to abandon its nuclear program.

Nevertheless, some of Trump's staff, external advisors, and conservative media figures are arguing that President Trump should at least order limited airstrikes against Iran, claiming it would strengthen US negotiating leverage.

President Trump has repeatedly warned this week that he would resume attacks on Iran if an agreement is not reached, and sources who spoke to WSJ said that Israel would also join if the Trump administration resumes attacks on Iran.

Israel is concerned that President Trump may agree to a deal that does not sufficiently curb Iran's nuclear program and missile capabilities.

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly had a phone call with tense exchanges on the 19th.

Netanyahu vehemently criticized the ceasefire agreement, while Trump defended the diplomatic process, according to sources familiar with the matter.

According to US government officials, President Trump held a National Security Council meeting on the 18th to discuss US options regarding Iran.

If a limited agreement is reached, President Trump may have to accept that his promise to permanently prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons will not be fulfilled, at least in the short term.

President Trump has argued that Iran must agree to a 20-year suspension of nuclear enrichment and hand over all its highly enriched uranium to the US.

On the 21st, President Trump declared that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened and that Iran's nuclear material would be secured by the US.