Iran's foreign minister reports no progress in negotiations to end the Middle East war while a drone strike on Kuwait's airport escalates tensions. US President Trump remains optimistic about a potential deal but faces complex hurdles linking Iranian nuclear demands and regional ceasefires.
Iran 's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Wednesday that no tangible progress has been achieved in negotiations aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, as fresh attacks by the United States and Iran strained an already fragile ceasefire.
His remarks contrast with optimistic comments from US President Donald Trump, who suggested a deal could be reached over the weekend. Trump also expressed a desire to separate talks concerning the Lebanon-Israel-Hezbollah front from those regarding the US-Iran conflict, though Tehran insists the issues are interconnected.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpiles are central to the discussions, and he hoped that recent talks in Washington between Israeli and Lebanese officials would yield a security roadmap. Washington's position demands that Tehran surrender its near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, limit nuclear activities, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route, for any peace agreement to hold.
Araghchi confirmed that lines of communication with the United States remain open but warned that any Israeli attack on Beirut would trigger a full-scale resumption of hostilities. He stated that messages have been exchanged regarding the need to halt aggression against Beirut but reported no substantive progress. In parallel, an Iranian drone strike on the passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport prompted condemnation from Kuwait as 'criminal Iranian aggression.
' One person, an Indian national, was killed. Iran's Revolutionary Guards denied responsibility, claiming it was an error involving American Patriot systems that failed to intercept Iranian missiles. They also accused US forces of provoking a response by targeting a tanker and a communications tower on Iran's Qeshm Island. The attacks mark a severe test of the April 8 ceasefire that paused more than a month of war following US-Israeli bombing of Iran.
Despite sporadic exchanges, the ceasefire had largely held until this escalation. Trump downplayed the renewed fighting, remarking that 'in that part of the world ceasefire is when you're shooting in a more moderate manner.
' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that if necessary, there will be a full-scale return to military action. Kuwait temporarily suspended air traffic and diverted flights after the drone attack but has since restarted Kuwait Airways operations. The international airport had only fully reopened on Monday after previous wartime targeting. A Pakistani resident near the airport described hearing explosions through the night, noting that for the first time his children grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Meanwhile, a US proposal presented in Washington aims to initially cover only Israeli strikes on Beirut and Hezbollah attacks on Israeli territory. Neither side has accepted the deal, and Hezbollah official Mahmud Qomati declared the group will not accept a partial ceasefire. Lebanese officials reported Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed at least nine people in the south, including two paramedics, while another raid hit a car near Beirut.
Hezbollah responded by claiming a rocket attack on troops in northern Israel, framing it as retaliation for ceasefire violations. A separate truce for Lebanon was scheduled to begin on April 17 but has never been observed
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