US, Iran more likely to reach deal to end war than two months ago, ex-Mossad official tells 'Post'

Sima Shine, a former Mossad division head, told The Jerusalem Post that the US and Iran are more likely to reach a deal to end the conflict than two months ago, citing midterm results and winter pressures. She warned that negotiations could fail over Iran's uranium enrichment demands or personal egos.

Sima Shine, a former Mossad division head and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that Tehran and Washington are more likely to reach an agreement to end the conflict now than they were two months ago. She stressed that negotiations could still fall through if the US refused to bend on giving Iran the right to uranium enrichment or if personal egos got in the way. Shine assessed that both sides, due to midterm election results and the coming winter, have reasons to avoid military clashes. She noted that Trump acknowledged the Iran war cost the Democrats major wins in the midterms, and that Iranian President Pezeshkian said the Supreme Leader's instruction is not to allow the current 'no war, no peace' situation to continue. Shine said leaked information suggests a good chance of an agreement, though it will not be optimal. She also noted pressure from Gulf states and uncertainty about Trump's next move if no deal is reached. The article mentions that iodine tablets are being distributed near nuclear facilities as a precaution.