Iran Deal Timeline Dispute as Paris Conference Kicks Off
Iran says deal possible 'in coming days,' Pakistan claims 24-hour signing, as Paris peace conference convenes.
Iran Deal Timeline Dispute as Paris Conference Kicks Off — Yesterday (Friday), France hosted a diplomatic conference in Paris titled "Paris Call for Peace," bringing together world leaders.[^1] But the most dramatic diplomatic move came from the nuclear talks between the US and Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said today (Saturday) that an agreement could be signed "in the coming days," explicitly rejecting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's claim that an electronic signing would occur within 24 hours.[^2] Sharif had posted on X that the two sides are "closer than ever" and that Pakistan is preparing for the signing.[^2] Meanwhile, US diplomatic sources stressed that the administration made clear to mediators that the issue of organizations affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards would remain separate from nuclear commitments.[^3] Underlying the diplomacy, Tehran is taking physical steps to secure its uranium. According to sources cited by CNN, Iran has booby-trapped the tunnels where enriched uranium is stored with mines and explosives, and collapsed their entrances to block access.[^4] This comes as Bloomberg reports that Iran has restored 75% of its pre-war missile stockpiles with Russian assistance.[^5] The negotiations face a knotty dilemma: Washington demands Iran dismantle militias under its control, while Iran seeks guarantees for Hezbollah, and the two sides have yet to bridge this gap.[^3] Beyond the US-Iran talks, the Paris conference also highlighted other global struggles. Epidemiologists have traced the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the funeral of a pastor; within two weeks, 50 deaths were recorded, bringing the total victim count to over 120.[^6] In Ukraine, residents of Kyiv's Lukyanivska neighborhood continue their lives amid escalating air attacks, a stark reminder of the war's ongoing toll.[^7] Likud Primaries Crisis and Polling Turmoil — At this year's Tel Aviv Pride parade, only one political party sent representatives—a stark illustration of the marginalization of LGBTQ+ issues in Israeli politics, even as attacks against individuals rise. [^1] The absence was notable as the country'