Iran says seeks ‘real and fair’ deal in nuclear talks with US
Iran said Friday it seeks a “real and fair” agreement on its nuclear programme, as the United States signalled a willingness to compromise ahead of high-stakes weekend talks — while insisting that Tehran cannot have a nuclear weapon.The longtime adversaries are set to meet on Saturday in Oman, weeks after a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by US President Donald Trump, who sought diplomacy but warned of possible military action if Iran refuses.”Far from putting up a show and merely talking in front of the cameras, Tehran is seeking a real and fair agreement, important and implementable proposals are ready,” Khamenei adviser Ali Shamkhani posted on X.He confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was heading to Oman “with full authority for indirect negotiations with America”, adding that if Washington showed goodwill, the path forward would be “smooth”.Ahead of the talks, Trump reiterated his opposition to Iran gaining a nuclear weapon.”I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country. But they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, hours before his envoy Steve Witkoff was due to meet Araghchi.Witkoff, Trump’s friend who serves as his globe-trotting envoy, sounded a note of flexibility ahead of the talks.Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal that “our position today” starts with demanding that Iran completely dismantle its nuclear programme — a view of hardliners around Trump that few expect Iran would ever accept.”That doesn’t mean, by the way, that at the margin we’re not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries,” Witkoff told the newspaper.”Where our red line will be, there can’t be weaponisation of your nuclear capability,” Witkoff added.Former US president Barack Obama negotiated a deal in 2015 that sought to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon without insisting on full dismantlement of its contested programme.Trump denounced the agreement as too weak and ripped it up after taking office the first time, instead imposing sweeping sanctions on Iran’s oil sector.Tehran adhered to the deal for a year before rolling back its own commitments.- ‘Hostile rhetoric’ -Ahead of the talks, Trump reiterated that military action was “absolutely” possible if they failed.Iran responded by saying Tehran could expel United Nations nuclear inspectors, prompting in turn a US warning that this would be an “escalation”.Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.On Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran was “giving diplomacy a genuine chance in good faith and full vigilance”.”America should appreciate this decision, which was made despite their hostile rhetoric,” he said.On Thursday, Washington imposed additional sanctions on Iran, targeting its oil network and nuclear programme.Iran’s nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami downplayed their impact.”They applied maximum pressure with various sanctions, but they were unable to prevent the country from progressing,” he said.”They still think that they can stop this nation and country with threats and intimidation, psychological operations, or stupid actions.”Ahead of the Oman talks, Witkoff — who has also been seeking to end the Ukraine war — visited Russia, which has close cooperation with Iran.The European Union, which backed the Obama-era accord, said Friday that there was “no alternative to diplomacy” on the Iranian nuclear issue.- Changed regional climate -Trump announced the talks Monday during a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has warned that military action will be “inevitable” if diplomacy drags on.Iran and Israel have attacked each other directly for the first time since the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, which enjoys support by Tehran.Hamas in Gaza has suffered heavy losses, as has Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s main ally among Arab leaders, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, was toppled in December.While the West wants to include Iran’s ballistic missile programme and regional influence in negotiations, Tehran maintains it will talk only about its nuclear programme.”If the American side does not raise irrelevant issues and demands and puts aside threats and intimidation, there is a good possibility of reaching an agreement,” deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said.Hardline Iranian media are sceptical about the talks.The Kayhan newspaper warned that entering negotiations with the United States in a bid to lift sanctions was a “failed strategy”.burs/srm-sct/tgb/rjm/tym
Trump defends policy after China hits US with 125% tariffs
President Donald Trump insisted Friday that his tariff policy was “doing really well” despite China hiking levies on US goods to 125 percent in the spiraling trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.Investors dumped US government bonds, the dollar tumbled and stocks seesawed after Beijing’s retaliation against Trump deepened concerns on already traumatized global markets.Trump sent financial markets into a tailspin by announcing sweeping import taxes on dozens of trade partners last week, only to abruptly roll them back to 10 percent on Wednesday for 90 days — while raising levies on goods from China.”We are doing really well on our tariff policy,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network after China announced its latest hike.”Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly,” he wrote.The White House said later that Trump remained “optimistic” about a deal with China, and added that 15 other countries have offers “on the table” during his 90-day pause in their tariffs.But Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added that “the president made it very clear, when the United States is punched he will punch back harder.”The US and Beijing have been trading salvos of increasingly harsh tariffs since last week.Chinese President Xi Jinping gave his first major comments on the tensions on Friday, with state media quoting him as saying his country was “not afraid.”Xi also said the European Union and China should “jointly resist unilateral bullying practices” during talks with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.- ‘Numbers game’ -Beijing announced after Xi’s comments that new tariffs of 125 percent on US goods would take effect Saturday — almost matching the staggering 145 percent level imposed on Chinese goods coming into America.A Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said the United States bore full responsibility, deriding Trump’s tariffs as a “numbers game” that “will become a joke.”But China’s finance ministry said tariffs would not go any higher in an acknowledgement that almost no imports are possible at the new level.Trump had reiterated on Thursday that he was looking to do a deal with Xi despite the mounting tensions.”He’s been a friend of mine for a long period of time. I think that we’ll end up working out something that’s very good for both countries,” he told reporters.But American officials have made it clear they expect Xi to reach out first.Pressure was growing on Trump, however, as markets continued to fret.As investors fled the dollar, which is typically considered a key haven currency, Trump attempted to squelch fears on Friday.”We’re the currency of choice. We’re always going to be… I think the dollar is tremendous,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, after the dollar plunged to its lowest level against the euro in more than three years.Meanwhile yields on crucial US government bonds, which are normally seen as a financial refuge, were up again Friday, indicating weaker demand as investors take fright.The White House said however that it had no evidence to support speculation by traders that China was offloading some of its vast holdings — which would increase the cost of borrowing for the US government — in retaliation.Wall Street stocks finished higher Friday, concluding a rollercoaster week on a positive note amid hopes that the market has absorbed the worst headlines about trade conflicts.Policymakers at the US Federal Reserve meanwhile warned of higher inflation and slower growth ahead due to Trump’s tariff policy.- ‘Countermeasures’ -Economists warn that the disruption in trade between the tightly integrated US and Chinese economies will increase prices for consumers and could spark a global recession.Ipek Ozkardeskaya, an analyst at Swissquote bank, told AFP the tariff figures were “so high that they don’t make sense anymore,” but said China was “now ready to go as far as needed.”The rest of the world is still calibrating its response.Trump on Thursday described the European Union — which was originally hit with 20 percent tariffs by Trump — as “very smart” for refraining from retaliatory levies.EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will hold talks in Washington on Monday.But the 27-nation bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times it remained armed with a “wide range of countermeasures” including a possible hit on digital services that would strike US tech firms.
Trump defends policy after China hits US with 125% tariffs
President Donald Trump insisted Friday that his tariff policy was “doing really well” despite China hiking levies on US goods to 125 percent in the spiraling trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.Investors dumped US government bonds, the dollar tumbled and stocks seesawed after Beijing’s retaliation against Trump deepened concerns on already traumatized global markets.Trump sent financial markets into a tailspin by announcing sweeping import taxes on dozens of trade partners last week, only to abruptly roll them back to 10 percent on Wednesday for 90 days — while raising levies on goods from China.”We are doing really well on our tariff policy,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network after China announced its latest hike.”Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly,” he wrote.The White House said later that Trump remained “optimistic” about a deal with China, and added that 15 other countries have offers “on the table” during his 90-day pause in their tariffs.But Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added that “the president made it very clear, when the United States is punched he will punch back harder.”The US and Beijing have been trading salvos of increasingly harsh tariffs since last week.Chinese President Xi Jinping gave his first major comments on the tensions on Friday, with state media quoting him as saying his country was “not afraid.”Xi also said the European Union and China should “jointly resist unilateral bullying practices” during talks with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.- ‘Numbers game’ -Beijing announced after Xi’s comments that new tariffs of 125 percent on US goods would take effect Saturday — almost matching the staggering 145 percent level imposed on Chinese goods coming into America.A Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said the United States bore full responsibility, deriding Trump’s tariffs as a “numbers game” that “will become a joke.”But China’s finance ministry said tariffs would not go any higher in an acknowledgement that almost no imports are possible at the new level.Trump had reiterated on Thursday that he was looking to do a deal with Xi despite the mounting tensions.”He’s been a friend of mine for a long period of time. I think that we’ll end up working out something that’s very good for both countries,” he told reporters.But American officials have made it clear they expect Xi to reach out first.Pressure was growing on Trump, however, as markets continued to fret.As investors fled the dollar, which is typically considered a key haven currency, Trump attempted to squelch fears on Friday.”We’re the currency of choice. We’re always going to be… I think the dollar is tremendous,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, after the dollar plunged to its lowest level against the euro in more than three years.Meanwhile yields on crucial US government bonds, which are normally seen as a financial refuge, were up again Friday, indicating weaker demand as investors take fright.The White House said however that it had no evidence to support speculation by traders that China was offloading some of its vast holdings — which would increase the cost of borrowing for the US government — in retaliation.Wall Street stocks finished higher Friday, concluding a rollercoaster week on a positive note amid hopes that the market has absorbed the worst headlines about trade conflicts.Policymakers at the US Federal Reserve meanwhile warned of higher inflation and slower growth ahead due to Trump’s tariff policy.- ‘Countermeasures’ -Economists warn that the disruption in trade between the tightly integrated US and Chinese economies will increase prices for consumers and could spark a global recession.Ipek Ozkardeskaya, an analyst at Swissquote bank, told AFP the tariff figures were “so high that they don’t make sense anymore,” but said China was “now ready to go as far as needed.”The rest of the world is still calibrating its response.Trump on Thursday described the European Union — which was originally hit with 20 percent tariffs by Trump — as “very smart” for refraining from retaliatory levies.EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will hold talks in Washington on Monday.But the 27-nation bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times it remained armed with a “wide range of countermeasures” including a possible hit on digital services that would strike US tech firms.
Trump defends policy after China hits US with 125% tariffs
President Donald Trump insisted Friday that his tariff policy was “doing really well” despite China hiking levies on US goods to 125 percent in the spiraling trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.Investors dumped US government bonds, the dollar tumbled and stocks seesawed after Beijing’s retaliation against Trump deepened concerns on already traumatized global markets.Trump sent financial markets into a tailspin by announcing sweeping import taxes on dozens of trade partners last week, only to abruptly roll them back to 10 percent on Wednesday for 90 days — while raising levies on goods from China.”We are doing really well on our tariff policy,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network after China announced its latest hike.”Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly,” he wrote.The White House said later that Trump remained “optimistic” about a deal with China, and added that 15 other countries have offers “on the table” during his 90-day pause in their tariffs.But Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added that “the president made it very clear, when the United States is punched he will punch back harder.”The US and Beijing have been trading salvos of increasingly harsh tariffs since last week.Chinese President Xi Jinping gave his first major comments on the tensions on Friday, with state media quoting him as saying his country was “not afraid.”Xi also said the European Union and China should “jointly resist unilateral bullying practices” during talks with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.- ‘Numbers game’ -Beijing announced after Xi’s comments that new tariffs of 125 percent on US goods would take effect Saturday — almost matching the staggering 145 percent level imposed on Chinese goods coming into America.A Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said the United States bore full responsibility, deriding Trump’s tariffs as a “numbers game” that “will become a joke.”But China’s finance ministry said tariffs would not go any higher in an acknowledgement that almost no imports are possible at the new level.Trump had reiterated on Thursday that he was looking to do a deal with Xi despite the mounting tensions.”He’s been a friend of mine for a long period of time. I think that we’ll end up working out something that’s very good for both countries,” he told reporters.But American officials have made it clear they expect Xi to reach out first.Pressure was growing on Trump, however, as markets continued to fret.As investors fled the dollar, which is typically considered a key haven currency, Trump attempted to squelch fears on Friday.”We’re the currency of choice. We’re always going to be… I think the dollar is tremendous,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, after the dollar plunged to its lowest level against the euro in more than three years.Meanwhile yields on crucial US government bonds, which are normally seen as a financial refuge, were up again Friday, indicating weaker demand as investors take fright.The White House said however that it had no evidence to support speculation by traders that China was offloading some of its vast holdings — which would increase the cost of borrowing for the US government — in retaliation.Wall Street stocks finished higher Friday, concluding a rollercoaster week on a positive note amid hopes that the market has absorbed the worst headlines about trade conflicts.Policymakers at the US Federal Reserve meanwhile warned of higher inflation and slower growth ahead due to Trump’s tariff policy.- ‘Countermeasures’ -Economists warn that the disruption in trade between the tightly integrated US and Chinese economies will increase prices for consumers and could spark a global recession.Ipek Ozkardeskaya, an analyst at Swissquote bank, told AFP the tariff figures were “so high that they don’t make sense anymore,” but said China was “now ready to go as far as needed.”The rest of the world is still calibrating its response.Trump on Thursday described the European Union — which was originally hit with 20 percent tariffs by Trump — as “very smart” for refraining from retaliatory levies.EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will hold talks in Washington on Monday.But the 27-nation bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times it remained armed with a “wide range of countermeasures” including a possible hit on digital services that would strike US tech firms.
Trump, 78, says feels in ‘very good shape’ after annual checkup
Donald Trump said he felt “in very good shape” Friday after his first annual medical checkup since returning to the US presidency, an exam that puts the focus on the fitness of the oldest man ever elected to the White House.Republican Trump, 78, has repeatedly boasted about his own vigor since starting a second term, while mocking his 82-year-old Democratic predecessor Joe Biden as decrepit and mentally unfit for office.But now it is Trump, who will also be 82 at the end of his presidency, under the stethoscope.”I felt I was in very good shape. Good heart,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that “I took a cognitive test. I don’t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right.”The billionaire arrived at the Walter Reed military hospital in the Washington suburbs earlier in the day — after a delay due to talks on tariffs.”I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!” Trump said on Truth Social earlier this week.Trump has repeatedly been accused of a lack of openness about his health despite huge interest in the wellbeing of America’s commander-in-chief.Stating that he underwent both cardio and cognitive tests, Trump said a report would be released by his doctor on Sunday.The White House said previously that presidential physician Sean Barbabella would give a readout of the physical and that “of course” it would provide the full report.”I can confirm the president is in very good shape, as you see on a near daily basis,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier.She said Trump would not be having a general anesthetic — which is normally used for procedures such as colonoscopies — but added there is “a lot that goes into it to make sure the president is accomplishing all of his goals.”Trump is a prolific golfer who abstains from alcohol and cigarettes.But he is also known to indulge in fast food and famously enjoys well-done steaks, although he appears noticeably thinner than during his first term.- ‘Healthiest individual’ -Trump’s personal and White House doctors have at times made outlandish claims about his health.In 2015, during Trump’s first presidential run, his doctor Harold Bornstein released a letter saying the tycoon “unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.”Bornstein later told CNN that Trump himself “dictated that whole letter. I didn’t write that letter.”The White House doctor in his first term, Ronny Jackson, said in 2018 that with a healthier diet Trump could “live to be 200 years old.”Jackson’s report then suggested Trump should aim to lose 10 to 15 pounds but said he was generally in “excellent health,” adding that there were no signs of “any cognitive issues.”A year later, an exam found the 6-foot-3 (1.9 meter) Trump weighed 243 pounds (110 kilograms), up seven pounds since shortly before taking office, making him technically obese. It said he was taking medication to treat high cholesterol.In 2020, Trump told Fox News he aced a test for cognitive impairment by repeating the phrase “person, woman, man, camera, TV.” Age became a major issue in the 2024 election when Trump and Biden faced off as the oldest major party candidates in history.Biden was forced to drop out of the race after a stumbling performance in a TV debate against Trump in June that put concerns over his cognitive health to the top of the agenda.Since returning to office Trump has repeatedly compared his own vigor to Biden’s, while the White House has accused the previous administration of covering up what it says was the Democrat’s decline.
L’Iran ne peut pas avoir d’arme nucléaire, lance Trump à la veille de discussions avec Téhéran
L’Iran ne peut pas avoir d’arme nucléaire, a averti vendredi le président américain Donald Trump, à la veille de pourparlers entre les deux pays ennemis à Oman.”Je veux que l’Iran soit un pays merveilleux, grand et heureux. Mais il ne peut pas avoir d’arme nucléaire”, a affirmé le président américain à bord de l’avion Air Force One en route pour sa résidence de Floride.Téhéran avait assuré plus tôt vendredi rechercher un accord “sérieux et équitable” avec les Etats-Unis sur son programme nucléaire.”Loin de se donner en spectacle et de se contenter de parler devant les caméras, Téhéran cherche un accord sérieux et équitable”, a dit Ali Shamkhani, un conseiller du guide suprême Ali Khamenei, ultime décideur dans les dossiers sensibles du pays. Ces discussions se tiennent malgré les menaces du président américain de recourir à l’option militaire en cas d’échec et à de nouvelles sanctions ciblant le programme nucléaire et le secteur pétrolier iraniens.Les Occidentaux, Etats-Unis en tête, soupçonnent depuis des décennies l’Iran de vouloir se doter de l’arme nucléaire. Téhéran rejette ces allégations et affirme que ses activités nucléaires n’ont que des visées civiles.Les pourparlers d’Oman, les premiers du genre depuis 2018, ont lieu après des semaines de guerre des mots entre les Etats-Unis et la République islamique d’Iran qui cherche à obtenir une levée des sanctions américaines asphyxiantes.Comme leur durée, leur format reste incertain: l’Iran s’est dit ouvert à des négociations indirectes, refusant tout dialogue direct sous la pression, Donald Trump a lui annoncé des négociations “directes” avec Téhéran.”Je veux le dire très clairement: il s’agira de discussions directes (…) le président croit en la diplomatie, dans les négociations directes (…) dans une même pièce”, a insisté vendredi la porte-parole de la Maison Blanche Karoline Leavitt. Un accord conclu en 2015 entre l’Iran et les grandes puissances pour encadrer son programme nucléaire en échange d’une levée des sanctions internationales imposées à Téhéran est devenu caduc après le retrait des Etats-Unis en 2018, pendant le premier mandat de Donald Trump.- Ligne rouge -L’émissaire américain pour le Moyen-Orient, Steve Witkoff, et le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, Abbas Araghchi, doivent piloter les discussions à Oman, qui a déjà joué un rôle de médiateur dans ce dossier.M. Witkoff était en visite vendredi en Russie, un allié de l’Iran, après des consultations entre experts chinois, russes et iraniens mardi à Moscou.”Je pense que notre position commence par le démantèlement de votre programme. C’est notre position aujourd’hui”, a déclaré M. Witkoff au Wall Street Journal, en parlant du message qu’il entend livrer aux Iraniens.”Cela ne veut pas dire, d’ailleurs, qu’à la marge nous n’allons pas trouver d’autres moyens pour tenter de parvenir à un compromis entre les deux pays”, a-t-il ajouté, en soulignant que la “ligne rouge” pour Washington était “la militarisation de votre capacité nucléaire”.Selon l’agence de presse iranienne Tasnim, les délégations doivent arriver samedi à Oman et entamer des négociations indirectes dans l’après-midi, par l’intermédiaire du chef de la diplomatie omanaise, Badr al-Busaidi. Donald Trump a averti mercredi qu’une intervention militaire contre l’Iran était “tout à fait” possible si les négociations n’aboutissaient pas. “S’il faut recourir à la force, nous recourrons à la force (…) Israël y sera bien évidemment très impliqué, il en sera le chef de file”.Le Premier ministre israélien, Benjamin Netanyahu, partisan d’une ligne très dure contre l’Iran, a jugé “inévitable” l’option militaire contre la République islamique si les discussions traînent.L’Iran a prévenu que les menaces pourraient entraîner l’expulsion des inspecteurs de l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique (AIEA). Cela constituerait “une escalade et un mauvais calcul”, a réagi Washington.”Si la partie américaine ne soulève pas d’exigences hors de propos et met de côté les menaces et l’intimidation, il y a de bonnes chances de parvenir à un accord”, a déclaré vendredi le vice-ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, Majid Takht-Ravanchi.- Revers -L’Iran a subi ces derniers mois les effets des revers militaires infligés par Israël à ses alliés régionaux, le Hamas dans la bande de Gaza et le Hezbollah au Liban. Ces conflits ont été marqués par des attaques militaires réciproques entre Israël et l’Iran, pour la première fois après des années de guerre par procuration.Berlin comme l’Union européenne ont souligné l’importance de parvenir à une “solution diplomatique”.Après le retrait américain de l’accord de 2015, l’Iran a pris ses distances avec le texte et accéléré son programme nucléaire. Il a accru son niveau d’enrichissement de l’uranium jusqu’à 60%, très au-dessus de la limite de 3,67% imposée par l’accord, se rapprochant du seuil de 90% nécessaire à la fabrication d’une bombe atomique.
L’Iran ne peut pas avoir d’arme nucléaire, lance Trump à la veille de discussions avec Téhéran
L’Iran ne peut pas avoir d’arme nucléaire, a averti vendredi le président américain Donald Trump, à la veille de pourparlers entre les deux pays ennemis à Oman.”Je veux que l’Iran soit un pays merveilleux, grand et heureux. Mais il ne peut pas avoir d’arme nucléaire”, a affirmé le président américain à bord de l’avion Air Force One en route pour sa résidence de Floride.Téhéran avait assuré plus tôt vendredi rechercher un accord “sérieux et équitable” avec les Etats-Unis sur son programme nucléaire.”Loin de se donner en spectacle et de se contenter de parler devant les caméras, Téhéran cherche un accord sérieux et équitable”, a dit Ali Shamkhani, un conseiller du guide suprême Ali Khamenei, ultime décideur dans les dossiers sensibles du pays. Ces discussions se tiennent malgré les menaces du président américain de recourir à l’option militaire en cas d’échec et à de nouvelles sanctions ciblant le programme nucléaire et le secteur pétrolier iraniens.Les Occidentaux, Etats-Unis en tête, soupçonnent depuis des décennies l’Iran de vouloir se doter de l’arme nucléaire. Téhéran rejette ces allégations et affirme que ses activités nucléaires n’ont que des visées civiles.Les pourparlers d’Oman, les premiers du genre depuis 2018, ont lieu après des semaines de guerre des mots entre les Etats-Unis et la République islamique d’Iran qui cherche à obtenir une levée des sanctions américaines asphyxiantes.Comme leur durée, leur format reste incertain: l’Iran s’est dit ouvert à des négociations indirectes, refusant tout dialogue direct sous la pression, Donald Trump a lui annoncé des négociations “directes” avec Téhéran.”Je veux le dire très clairement: il s’agira de discussions directes (…) le président croit en la diplomatie, dans les négociations directes (…) dans une même pièce”, a insisté vendredi la porte-parole de la Maison Blanche Karoline Leavitt. Un accord conclu en 2015 entre l’Iran et les grandes puissances pour encadrer son programme nucléaire en échange d’une levée des sanctions internationales imposées à Téhéran est devenu caduc après le retrait des Etats-Unis en 2018, pendant le premier mandat de Donald Trump.- Ligne rouge -L’émissaire américain pour le Moyen-Orient, Steve Witkoff, et le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, Abbas Araghchi, doivent piloter les discussions à Oman, qui a déjà joué un rôle de médiateur dans ce dossier.M. Witkoff était en visite vendredi en Russie, un allié de l’Iran, après des consultations entre experts chinois, russes et iraniens mardi à Moscou.”Je pense que notre position commence par le démantèlement de votre programme. C’est notre position aujourd’hui”, a déclaré M. Witkoff au Wall Street Journal, en parlant du message qu’il entend livrer aux Iraniens.”Cela ne veut pas dire, d’ailleurs, qu’à la marge nous n’allons pas trouver d’autres moyens pour tenter de parvenir à un compromis entre les deux pays”, a-t-il ajouté, en soulignant que la “ligne rouge” pour Washington était “la militarisation de votre capacité nucléaire”.Selon l’agence de presse iranienne Tasnim, les délégations doivent arriver samedi à Oman et entamer des négociations indirectes dans l’après-midi, par l’intermédiaire du chef de la diplomatie omanaise, Badr al-Busaidi. Donald Trump a averti mercredi qu’une intervention militaire contre l’Iran était “tout à fait” possible si les négociations n’aboutissaient pas. “S’il faut recourir à la force, nous recourrons à la force (…) Israël y sera bien évidemment très impliqué, il en sera le chef de file”.Le Premier ministre israélien, Benjamin Netanyahu, partisan d’une ligne très dure contre l’Iran, a jugé “inévitable” l’option militaire contre la République islamique si les discussions traînent.L’Iran a prévenu que les menaces pourraient entraîner l’expulsion des inspecteurs de l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique (AIEA). Cela constituerait “une escalade et un mauvais calcul”, a réagi Washington.”Si la partie américaine ne soulève pas d’exigences hors de propos et met de côté les menaces et l’intimidation, il y a de bonnes chances de parvenir à un accord”, a déclaré vendredi le vice-ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, Majid Takht-Ravanchi.- Revers -L’Iran a subi ces derniers mois les effets des revers militaires infligés par Israël à ses alliés régionaux, le Hamas dans la bande de Gaza et le Hezbollah au Liban. Ces conflits ont été marqués par des attaques militaires réciproques entre Israël et l’Iran, pour la première fois après des années de guerre par procuration.Berlin comme l’Union européenne ont souligné l’importance de parvenir à une “solution diplomatique”.Après le retrait américain de l’accord de 2015, l’Iran a pris ses distances avec le texte et accéléré son programme nucléaire. Il a accru son niveau d’enrichissement de l’uranium jusqu’à 60%, très au-dessus de la limite de 3,67% imposée par l’accord, se rapprochant du seuil de 90% nécessaire à la fabrication d’une bombe atomique.
Trump assure être “en pleine forme” après sa visite médicale
Donald Trump, qui à 78 ans est le président le plus âgé jamais élu aux Etats-Unis, et qui a été accusé pendant son premier mandat de ne pas être transparent sur sa santé, a assuré vendredi être “en pleine forme” après une visite médicale annuelle.”Dans l’ensemble, j’ai eu le sentiment d’être en pleine forme. Un bon coeur. Une bonne âme. Une très bonne âme”, a affirmé le milliardaire républicain à bord de son avion Air Force One, qui l’emmenait en Floride après une visite médicale qui s’est déroulée à l’hôpital militaire Walter Reed, en proche banlieue de Washington.En plus d’examens cardiaques, il a affirmé avoir passé un test cognitif pour être “un peu différent de Biden”.Pendant la dernière campagne présidentielle, Donald Trump avait plusieurs fois mis au défi son rival démocrate, qu’il n’avait cessé d’attaquer sur son âge, de se soumettre à un tel test.”Je ne sais pas quoi vous dire, si ce n’est que j’ai eu toutes les bonnes réponses”, a souligné le républicain.Il a précisé qu’un compte rendu de ces examens serait publié dimanche.La question de la santé du président américain est devenue particulièrement sensible à la fin de la présidence de Joe Biden, qui, achevant son mandat à 82 ans, apparaissait avec une démarche chaque jour plus raide et une élocution de plus en plus embrouillée, là où son adversaire donne l’apparence d’une plus grande vigueur physique.Donald Trump ne boit pas d’alcool et ne fume pas, mais ne cache pas son goût pour les sodas et la nourriture des chaînes de fast-food.Lors de la course à la présidentielle de 2024, il avait déjà assuré avoir passé un test cognitif et l’avoir réussi “avec brio”, sans donner aucun détail. En novembre 2023, le républicain avait simplement publié une courte lettre de son médecin affirmant qu’il était en “excellente” santé et qu’il avait perdu du poids – sans préciser combien. Depuis, le milliardaire n’a pas fourni de bulletin de santé.Joe Biden faisait publier de longs comptes-rendus très détaillés, mentionnant jusqu’à son taux de cholestérol ou le nom du médicament qu’il prenait pour ses allergies.- Coloscopie de Biden -Il avait aussi passé une coloscopie sous anesthésie générale le 19 novembre 2021, pendant laquelle la vice-présidente Kamala Harris avait brièvement assuré les fonctions présidentielles.Donald Trump a été souvent accusé par ses opposants de ne pas être transparent sur sa santé, en particulier lorsque pendant les derniers mois de son premier mandat il avait été hospitalisé plusieurs jours pour une infection au Covid-19. Un ancien médecin du républicain, Harold Bornstein, avait assuré que le président américain lui avait un jour “dicté” une lettre le présentant en excellente santé, avant qu’il ne soit élu pour la première fois.”S’il était élu, je peux affirmer sans équivoque que M. Trump sera l’individu en meilleure santé jamais élu à la présidence”, disait ce bulletin publié en décembre 2015, sans fournir aucune preuve appuyant cette assertion.En mai 2018, le Dr Bornstein, un gastroentérologue qui avait son cabinet sur Park Avenue, non loin de Central Park, avait ensuite affirmé que Donald Trump lui avait “entièrement dicté cette lettre”.