In the lead-up to the second round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington that started last Friday in Muscat, both Iran and Israel are intensifying their positions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the date and location for the next round of talks have yet to be determined, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier statement indicating that discussions were expected to take place early next week. This uncertainty reflects the delicate nature of the negotiations, which are pivotal for the future of U.S.-Iran relations.

President Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, where it is anticipated that he will advocate for an expansion of the discussions to include constraints on Iran's missile arsenal and other security threats that extend beyond its nuclear program. This meeting marks Netanyahu's seventh with Trump since the latter returned to office about 13 months ago, highlighting the importance of Israeli input in the ongoing negotiations. Netanyahu's aim is to influence the forthcoming talks in light of the heightened tensions in the Middle East.

With Trump threatening military action against Iran should an agreement not be reached, and Tehran reciprocally warning of repercussions, the atmosphere surrounding these negotiations is one of high stakes. The future of regional stability and international security depends on how these negotiations unfold, and the actions taken by both Iran and Israel leading up to these talks signal the seriousness with which they are approaching these discussions over nuclear and missile capabilities.