Disappointment in Tel Aviv: Washington Resumes Talks with Tehran, Israel Fears 'Strategic Deception'

A state of shock prevailed within political and security circles in the occupation state following the announcement of the resumption of indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran. Hebrew media sources considered this step to reflect signs of weakness on the American side, at a time when Tel Aviv was anticipating a military escalation that would resolve the Iranian nuclear file.

Journalistic sources quoted Israeli officials as saying that President Donald Trump's administration's decision to hold a third round of talks in Geneva next Thursday was surprising and unexpected. The sources indicated that this shift came at the insistence of Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, who adopts an approach that calls for giving diplomacy a last chance before resorting to harsher options.

US envoy Witkoff admitted that Tehran shows no signs of backing down or surrendering, despite the intensive US military presence in the region. These statements caused great displeasure in Israel, where officials believed that this approach grants Iran free concessions and does not push it to change its nuclear or regional behavior.

In a related context, an Israeli diplomat expressed his disappointment with current US policy, accusing Washington of allowing Tehran to buy time and relieve pressure on it. The Israeli side believes that resuming dialogue at this critical time could delay any US decision to carry out a military strike that seemed imminent against Iranian facilities.

Despite the declared dissatisfaction, security sources did not rule out close coordination between Tel Aviv and Washington that might involve a kind of 'strategic deception'. Reports indicated that this scenario has been repeated before, where dates for diplomatic meetings were set as a cover for sudden military operations, which keeps all possibilities open on the ground.

Leaked information indicates that US negotiators agreed to an Iranian demand to exclude regional issues that Israel considers an existential threat from the talks agenda. This development comes despite previous statements by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump that emphasized the necessity of any new agreement to include all Iranian activities.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to arrive in Israel next Saturday for closed-door talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit comes just two days after the Geneva talks, reflecting Washington's desire to contain Israeli anger and coordinate the next steps.

On the other hand, Netanyahu held a meeting of the mini-security cabinet to discuss preparations for multiple fronts in the event of a comprehensive confrontation. Israeli estimates assume that Iran may respond to any pressure by dragging the region into a wide conflict involving its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq to pressure the occupation.

US President Trump set a deadline of March 3rd for reaching a final agreement, threatening to strike the ruling establishment in Iran in case of failure. The US administration is currently discussing military options ranging from limited surgical strikes to a widespread bombing campaign targeting nuclear and military infrastructure.

In contrast, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sharply responded to Witkoff's statements, emphasizing that his country will not surrender to military threats. Araghchi stressed that diplomacy is the only way to resolve the crisis, noting that Tehran is working on drafting proposals to be included in a potential agreement that would end the state of tension.

International reports indicated that Iran has shown willingness to 'seriously consider' reducing uranium enrichment levels or transferring highly enriched stockpiles out of its territory. This offer comes as part of an Iranian attempt to alleviate the economic sanctions imposed on it, with a pledge to submit a comprehensive draft agreement in the coming days.

Attention is now focused on Thursday's round in Geneva, where Iran is expected to present a counter-proposal to US demands within 48 hours. While Washington hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough, Israel continues to mobilize its military capabilities in anticipation of the failure of negotiations and the region's transition to a phase of direct confrontation.

Iran is not ready to surrender despite the large US military buildup in the Middle East.