Donald Trump: WAR IS OVER, US and Iranian officials will talk next week

Hague: Speaking during the NATO summit in The Hague, Donald Trump announced that US and Iranian officials will hold talks next week, stating: “We’re going to talk with them next week… With Iran. We may sign an agreement, I don’t know.”, the AP reported on Wednesday.

The US President also insisted that the recent war (a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran) is over and that US strikes had destroyed Iran’s nuclear program.

However, Iran has not confirmed any talks next week. The AP reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff acknowledged there's “direct and indirect communication” between the two sides, though no date has been officially agreed upon

Some concerns arise regarding Trump’s claim that the US strikes completely destroyed Iran's nuclear sites, as US intelligence and the IAEA suggest damage may only be temporary, with Iran potentially repairing or relocating key assets.

Meanwhile, the White House on Wednesday shared what it said was a statement from the Israel Atomic Energy Commission - that country’s nuclear regulator - assessing that Iran’s nuclear program had been set back by “many years.”

Earlier, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said of the Fordow site that no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordow”, it is expected to be “very significant”.

On Wednesday, Grossi said his top priority is getting his inspectors back to Iran’s nuclear facilities to assess the impact of US and Israeli military strikes and verify its stocks of enriched uranium.

“This is the number 1 priority,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Grossi told a news conference at an Austrian security cabinet meeting. He is seeking his inspectors’ return to Iranian sites, including the three plants where it was enriching uranium until Israel launched strikes on 13 June.