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Wednesday, June 10, 2026
US strikes aim to create leverage in talks; official warns Iran not to ‘drag their feet’ — report
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Recent American strikes on Iran were meant to ramp up pressure on Tehran in ongoing negotiations to end the war, according to a report on Channel 12 and Axios citing two US officials, after US President Donald Trump said he would strike the country again tonight following Iran’s shooting down of a US helicopter.
The reports air shortly after Trump vows to strike Iran “very hard” tonight, saying the regime has been “playing us for suckers.”
The reports by journalist Barak Ravid, who works for both outlets, say that last night’s US attack was meant to force Iran into responding to America’s latest proposal after two weeks of delays.
The US took care to keep the strikes “proportionate and surgical,” without Iranian casualties, in order to keep the talks alive, the American officials say.
“If we didn’t respond, it would have made us look weak and also negatively influenced our position in the negotiations with Iran,” one of the officials tells Axios.
Ahead of the strikes, the US reportedly made clear to Iran that the targets would solely consist of military facilities.
According to the outlets, the White House, several hours before conducting the strikes, tried once more to solicit an answer from Iranian negotiators regarding Trump’s latest proposal, which included concessions to the regime — but received no response.
Qatari officials landed in Tehran this morning in a bid to continue the talks and already met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Arab and US officials tell ToI.
According to the Channel 12 report, Iran declined to hold a three-way meeting in Doha with American and Qatari officials to discuss the talks, meant to prevent the regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed after the start of US-Israeli strikes.
“The deal is still on the table, but the president is ready to make the Iranians pay a price if they continue to delay and drag their feet,” a US official said, according to Axios.
The Times of Israel Community.