Iran and US explore diplomacy amid rising threats of war

Contacts through mediators, including Qatar, have opened a possible diplomatic channel between Iran and the United States after two days of talks. Tehran says a deal remains possible if its demands are implemented in concrete terms, while warning that it is prepared to expand attacks or launch preemptive strikes if war appears inevitable. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the country’s forces are at their highest level of readiness. Donald Trump said the talks were going “fine” but called Iran’s authorities unreliable and raised the prospect of further strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.