Iran Declines Direct Negotiations on Nuclear Deal, Trump Threatens With ‘Bombing’

Iran has rejected President Trump's call for direct negotiations regarding the country's nuclear program, with tensions escalating between the two nations. 

The Details: Iran has signaled it is open to “indirect” negotiations, which, according to Axios (Lean Left bias), Trump is “seriously considering.” Trump has threatened Iran, saying “there will be bombing” and possibly “secondary tariffs” if it doesn’t make a deal. Iran, which has previously said its nuclear program is for civilian energy purposes, warned it “will have no choice” but to try to develop nuclear weapons if it is attacked. It also warned it has missiles aimed at U.S.-related targets and is ready to strike.

For Context: During his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a 2015 deal that placed strict limits on Iran's nuclear programs in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran has backed several proxies in the Middle East in recent years, including the Houthis, which the U.S. attacked last week.

How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum highlighted different aspects of the rhetoric between the two nations. Washington Free Beacon (Lean Right) reported speaking to White House National Security Council communications director James Hewitt, who said the administration does “not take kindly to military threats.” CBS News (Lean Left) wrote that Trump’s first term was “a particularly troubled period in relations with Tehran” and noted his administration’s assassination of a top Iranian general in early 2020.

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