According to the report, some 80 percent of Iran\u2019s oil exports go to China, leading the US and Israel to believe that clamping down on trade between the two countries would \u201csignificantly\u201d increase economic pressure on Tehran.<\/p>\n
Trump, under authority by an executive order he signed last week, could impose 25% tariffs on China for trading with Iran.<\/p>\n
The pressure campaign will be implemented alongside the ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran, the report said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
\n\t\t\tby email and never miss our top stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n Oman is set to mediate another round of talks next week, though they will be held this time in Geneva, the Swiss foreign ministry announced Wednesday. The ministry did not give an exact date for the talks.<\/p>\n \t The US believes that Iran will present its answer to Washington\u2019s proposal during next week\u2019s meeting, the report said, though a US official told Axios that there is \u201czero chance\u201d of an agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are sober and realistic about the Iranians. The ball is in their court. If it is not a real deal, we will not take it,\u201d a second US official said.<\/p>\n The report also quoted Wednesday\u2019s meeting at the White House between Trump and Netanyahu, with the prime minister expressing skepticism that Tehran would honor an agreement with the US, even if one is reached.<\/p>\n It\u2019s \u201cimpossible\u201d to do a deal with Iran, Netanyahu reportedly said, arguing that even if Tehran signs a deal, they will not abide by it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see if it\u2019s possible. Let\u2019s give it a shot,\u201d Trump is said to have replied.<\/p>\n The report added that Trump\u2019s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told the US\u00a0president that the Iranians are \u201csaying all the right things\u201d in the talks, and that they \u201cwill continue with the negotiations and take a tough line.\u201d<\/p>\n \t If Iran agrees to what the US is asking, then the two envoys will give Trump the option \u201cso that he can decide if he wants to do it,\u201d a US official said, according to the report.<\/p>\n Axios also pointed to a recent report by an Iranian journalist, which claimed that Witkoff\u2019s proposal included that Iran suspend its enrichment for \u201cthree to five years,\u201d after which, Iran would be allowed to enrich uranium to \u201cvery low levels.\u201d<\/p>\n The reported proposal also stipulated the \u201cremoval of 450 kilograms of highly enriched uranium\u201d that Iran currently holds, and its relocation to a third country. Tehran rejected the proposal, according to the Iranian report.<\/p>\n Axios noted that a US official denied that Washington ever proposed such an offer.<\/p>\n Rubio: Trump would meet Khamenei<\/p>\n Also on Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump would meet with Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to solve disputes between the two countries, in an interview with Bloomberg while in Munich attending the city\u2019s global security conference.<\/p>\n \t \u201cI\u2019m pretty confident in saying that if the ayatollah said tomorrow he wanted to meet with President Trump, the President would meet him, not because he agrees with the ayatollah but because he thinks that\u2019s the way you solve problems in the world, and he doesn\u2019t view meeting someone as a concession,\u201d Rubio said.<\/p>\n The top diplomat has said in the past that Trump is willing to meet with any world leader to resolve disputes.<\/p>\n \u201cNumber one is I think it\u2019s pretty clear that Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, that that poses a threat not just to the United States, to Europe, to world security, and to the region. There\u2019s no doubt about it,\u201d he said when asked if Washington is running out of patience with Tehran given that Trump is building up forces<\/a> and sending another aircraft carrier to the region.<\/p>\n \t \u201cThe second is we obviously want to have forces in the region because Iran has shown the willingness and the capability to lash out and strike out at the United States presence in the region,\u201d Rubio said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have bases because of our alliances in the region, and Iran has shown in the past that they are willing to attack us and\/or threaten our bases. So we have to have sufficient firepower in the region to ensure that they don\u2019t make a mistake and come after us and trigger something larger,\u201d he added, stressing that\u00a0Trump prefers to resolve the dispute with a deal.<\/p>\n
If so, we have a request.\u00a0<\/p>\n Every day during the past two years of war and rising global anti-Zionism and antisemitism, our journalists kept you abreast of the most important developments that merit your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fact-based coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.\u00a0<\/p>\n We care about Israel – and we know you do too. So we have an ask for this new year of 2026: express your values by joining The Times of Israel Community, an exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and financially support our work.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t
\t\t\t
\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.<\/p>\n Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.<\/p>\n So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing\u00a0exclusive content\u00a0available only to Times of Israel Community members.<\/p>\n Thank you, \t\t\t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFP__20260211__96YG7JJ__v1__HighRes__IranPoliticsAnniversary-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\t\tWomen march with a sign depicting US President Donald Trump with bloodied hands in Tehran on February 11, 2026, during a rally marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution (AFP)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFP__20260206__96DK78A__v1__HighRes__OmanIranUsDiplomacy-e1771027890471-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\t\tIn this handout photo released by the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 6, 2026, US special envoy Steve Witkoff (C), Jared Kushner and Oman\u0092s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi pose for a photo during a meeting in Muscat. (Handout\/Omani Foreign Ministry\/AFP)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFP__20260214__97HP3AM__v1__HighRes__GermanyDiplomacySecurityMsc-e1771093227918-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\t\tUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks to a meeting of G7 foreign ministers on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) on February 14, 2026, in Munich, southern Germany. (Alex Brandon \/ POOL \/ AFP)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFP__20260211__96YG7JH__v2__HighRes__TopshotIranPoliticsAnniversary-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\t\tWomen pose with a poster depicting Iran\u2019s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as they stand before a banner depicting a US Navy aircraft carrier with US-flag-wrapped coffins on the deck, during a rally marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Tehran on February 11, 2026. The Persian calendar date of Bahman 22 celebrates the anniversary of the resignation of the ousted shah\u2019s last prime minister and the formal assumption of power by revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. (Photo by AFP)<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tIs accurate Israel coverage important to you?\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tI’m with you and will give\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tI’m with you and will give\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tYou appreciate our journalism\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DH-new-headshot-circular.png\" "\\"\\"\/")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n