JC Israel Briefing Day 613: Iran set to breach nuclear enrichment limits

Israeli officials said the urgency followed briefings that Iran could soon exceed uranium enrichment thresholds, while Washington weighed concessions. A source briefed on the Trump-Netanyahu call said the discussion focused on coordinating strategy as Iran prepares its formal rejection of the latest US proposal.

Axios reported yesterday that the call followed an hours-long strategy session at Camp David involving Trump’s full national security team. Trump’s team views the Gaza and Iran tracks as interlinked. “We’re trying to make a deal so that there’s no destruction and death,” Trump said later in Washington. “But they’re just asking for things that you can’t do. They seek enrichment. We can’t have enrichment.”

Iran confirmed it would soon deliver a counterproposal via Oman. A senior US official told Axios yesterday that Tehran’s formal response was expected within 24 hours, and that while rejection was likely, continued negotiations were not ruled out. The Trump administration’s stated deadline for a deal expires Thursday.

The talks come as the International Atomic Energy Agency warns it can no longer verify that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful.

Director General Rafael Grossi told the agency’s Board of Governors that uranium particles were found at three undeclared Iranian sites – Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad – but Tehran has failed to provide “technically credible answers” and attempted to sanitize the locations. “Iran has repeatedly either not answered, or not provided technically credible answers,” he said. “It has also sought to sanitize the locations, which has impeded Agency verification activities.”

Grossi said Iran’s decision to halt compliance with agreed inspection protocols had severely reduced transparency. “The Agency cannot ignore the stockpiling of over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium,” he said.

“Unless and until Iran assists the Agency in resolving the outstanding safeguards issues, the Agency will not be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful.”

Elsewhere, Israel is about to start deporting the activists it detained on a protest boat of celebrities that attempted to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Greta Thunberg and other activists were among the detainees.

A Foreign Ministry statement described the boat as a “selfie-yacht” and said any refusal to sign deportation forms would be handled through judicial channels. Despite the smooth and peaceful nature of the Israeli interception, there has been international criticism of Israel’s actions and concern from rights groups.

Detainees were denied access to legal counsel and forced to watch a government-produced film justifying the blockade. Israel confirmed it had screened a film of October 7 atrocities to those detained in a bid to give them context on the conflict they were taking sides in.

Meanwhile, hostage families reacted sharply yesterday after Transportation Minister Miri Regev cited the captives in political remarks opposing early elections. “Don’t invoke them as a reason to avoid elections,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. “

Finally, today marks 613 days since hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza. Families of the captives used the milestone to increase public pressure on the government, citing the number’s symbolic link to the 613 mitzvot in Jewish tradition. Silent vigils have been held in several locations.

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