The US and Iran failed to strike a nuclear deal after hours of talks on Thursday, raising the specter of a military conflict.
A US official said the meeting was “positive” and Iran said talks progressed “very intensely and very seriously.” But many in the White House saw the negotiations as a final attempt to reach an agreement to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions before resorting to military action.
Iran may try to avert a US strike by offering President Donald Trump a bevy of financial incentives, including investments in the regime’s oil and gas reserves, the Financial Times reported. The potential commercial offer drew comparisons to Trump’s push for US companies to be involved in Venezuela’s oil industry after Nicolás Maduro’s ouster.