Framework agreement or military escalation? US-Iran talks on the brink of collapse

The statements that leaked on Thursday from Geneva, where Iranian and U.S. officials held another round of talks, revealed rigid and tense positions. Above all, they conflicted with each other. Negotiators pushed themselves to the limit and ran down the clock to the final minute to avoid ending this long day without a clear framework, especially since U.S. President Donald Trump had set an early March deadline to reach a deal. The talks now teeter on the brink of collapse or war. No one seeks war, except Israel, yet it could erupt at any moment. The scale of the divide has spread across neighboring countries, where forecasts swung between hopes for an agreement and certainty of a military confrontation. More on the dynamics 'Wars bring only misery': Levant on edge as fears of conflict with Iran grow During the long morning session,...