Peloni: Notably, the US has refrained from any mention in recent days regarding Iran’s ballistic missile program, indicating a clear retraction in the terms being demanded of them. Might this also indicate Trump’s interest in a less encompassing attack on Iran if the negotiations fail? I think that if regime change was ever on the table (which I doubt), it is clearly no longer being considered. The US, Israel and the West would all be in a so much stronger position if Trump would prove me wrong, but it looks less and less likely.
Strong agreement can’t be limited only to Iranian nuclear program, Israel argues
Photo By Unknown author – Facebook, Public Domain, Wikipedia
Israeli officials intend to present U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff with a list of principles for an agreement with the Iranian regime during his visit to Israel on Tuesday, Army Radio reported.
Witkoff was expected to visit Israel ahead of a planned summit with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Turkey on Friday.
Several regional foreign ministers are also set to participate in the summit, amid a concerted effort by several U.S. allies in the region to avert military strikes against the Iranian regime, which they fear will drag the region into an escalation.
Witkoff is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Mossad director David (Dadi) Barnea, and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday, Israeli media reported.
Israel’s Army Radio cited senior officials in Israel’s security establishment who noted that there was an historic opportunity either to topple the Iranian regime militarily or to push it into an agreement that could have positive effects on the whole region.
However, the officials intend to present Witkoff with four principles to ensure that such an agreement would have a positive effect rather than provide the regime with breathing space to recover.
The regime’s nuclear program remains Israel’s main concern, despite the significant setback it received from last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer. However, Israeli officials are also concerned about a deal that would be limited to the nuclear issue without addressing other threats.
Many Middle East developments over the past week as the U.S. military buildup continues:
– Additional strike assets en route (F-35As in Rota, EA-18Gs in CENTCOM)
– NSA Bahrain cleared out: all forward-deployed ships (LCS, USCG) got underway
– Deploying THAAD battery + Patriots
-… pic.twitter.com/PwRC7bXCwb— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) February 2, 2026
“That would be a bad and weak agreement—for us and for the entire region,” a senior official involved in the matter told Army Radio, adding, “During the twelve-day war, Iran saw how it could get by using only ballistic missiles and inflict significant damage on Israel. This must be included in the agreement.”
Israel’s four principles reportedly are:
- Transfer of the around 400 kilograms of enriched uranium in Iran’s possession to another country
- A complete halt to uranium enrichment inside Iran
- Significant restrictions on ballistic missiles production
- An end to the support for Iran’s regional proxies in the Middle East, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis
A strong agreement should address each of these concerns, the officials told Army Radio.
Although Israel reportedly still believes that Trump will decide to launch military action in the end, given the enormous financial cost of the military buildup, as well as the investment in legitimacy and credibility through his verbal threats, other U.S. allies are pushing to avert the strikes.
After Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Jordan also announced that it would not allow its territory to be used in potential U.S. strikes.
Speaking to Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi vowed that “Jordan will not be a battleground in any regional conflict or a launching pad for any military action against Iran.”
Jordan “will not permit any party to violate its airspace or threaten its security and the safety of its citizens,” he added, emphasizing Amman’s interest in de-escalation and restoring calm.
The IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency in a post on its X account on Monday published a photo of the UAE’s Al Dhafra Air Base, which houses thousands of US forces, without further comment. pic.twitter.com/hMYIM8ISzs
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 3, 2026
The U.S. military buildup also included significant reinforcements in the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, where additional F-15 fighter jets and other aircraft have been stationed in recent weeks.
The Iranian regime has explicitly threatened U.S. allies in the region with retaliation in the event of American strikes.
In another such threat, Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency published, without further comment, a photo of the Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, which houses thousands of U.S. troops.
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