The Trump administration has pressed Iran, which is in ceasefire talks, by offering both incentives and pressure to push for a deal. While the administration faces domestic backlash that makes sweeping concessions difficult, Iran has also shown no sign of backing down. Meanwhile, Iran's ceasefire delegation arrived in Doha, Qatar, on the 25th (local time) and began a series of meetings with local officials, drawing attention to the outcome. Unlike last month's ceasefire talks in Pakistan, the delegation is reportedly seeking indirect negotiations through Qatar rather than meeting the U.S. delegation face to face. Iran plans to first coordinate a draft memorandum of understanding on the ceasefire. ■ The U.S. makes some concessions in denuclearization talks On the 25th, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that Iran's enriched uranium could be disposed of inside Iran or in a third country, without being taken out of the country. The shift in tone marks a significant concession by Trump as he seeks to reach a ceasefire agreement. Still, in a separate speech that day, he said, "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon." The remark is seen as an attempt to counter criticism and resistance from hardliners at home. Earlier, the United States had demanded that Iran remove all of its highly enriched uranium abroad and stop uranium enrichment for the next 20 years. Before U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities last year, Iran was believed to hold 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to about 60 percent. If further enriched, that amount could be enough to make 11 nuclear bombs. Uranium enriched to more than 90 percent can be used to make a nuclear weapon. The stockpile is believed to have been buried underground at the Isfahan facility during U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June last year. Iran believes that handing over uranium to the United States would create the impression, both at home and abroad, that it had surrendered to its enemies, which could destabilize the regime. For that reason, it has resisted Trump's demand to remove its enriched uranium. On the 21st, two senior Iranian officials who spoke with Western media said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had rejected the removal of the uranium. ■ Renewed strikes in southern Iran, but the truce is likely to hold In a statement on the 25th, CENTCOM, which oversees U.S. operations against Iran, said it had carried out airstrikes near the Strait of Hormuz and in southern Iran for "self-defense." On the 26th, the IRGC said it had activated air defenses after hearing three explosions near Bandar Abbas, a southern port city. The area around Bandar Abbas is a strategic location on the Strait of Hormuz, home to several Iranian naval and air bases. An unnamed U.S. official told Fox News on the 25th that the airstrikes were over for now and that the attack had not broken the ceasefire. The United States and Iran began a ceasefire on the 8th of last month, but clashes also broke out near the Strait of Hormuz on the 7th. At the time, Trump stressed that the ceasefire was still in place. The latest attack came as talks between the two sides remained stalled. Although the two sides are said to have reached a basic agreement, many hurdles still remain. According to Axios and The New York Times (NYT), the United States plans to ease sanctions on Iran and unfreeze assets in stages only if a final nuclear deal and verification procedures are implemented. A U.S. government official said, "President Trump is emphasizing performance-based rewards as a core principle of this negotiation." Iran, meanwhile, is demanding sanctions relief, including the release of frozen assets. Tasnim News Agency reported, "Iran has stressed that there will be no agreement unless at least some frozen assets are released in the first phase," adding, "Clear mechanisms must also be put in place to guarantee that the release remains in effect." pjw@fnnews.com Park Jong-won Reporter