Despite reports of low likelihood of Iranian nuclear agreement, Trump holds off on strikes

Israeli officials believe the chance of an agreement between the U.S. and Iran is low, public broadcaster Kan News reported on Saturday evening. 

Following talks between Israeli and U.S. officials held over the weekend, the impression held by Israeli officials is that there is little likelihood of an agreement between the two sides, as Iran appears unwilling to compromise on any of its positions. 

At the same time, the U.S. continues to bring military resources into the region, with open-source intel accounts indicating that additional fighter planes arrived in the Middle East in the past few days. 

At the same time, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a limited initial strike, in an attempt to force Iran to accept the American demands. That strike would target a limited number of government and military sites. Should the Islamic Republic still prove unwilling to accept American red lines, the Journal reported, then the U.S. would broaden its campaign to target the regime more generally. 

According to a Reuters report, during the indirect talks in Geneva last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi refused to open an envelope from the U.S. containing missile-related proposals, instead returning it to the Omani mediators. 

Last week, President Trump told reporters that he would make a decision regarding Iran within 10 days. 

“We’re going to make a deal or get a deal one way or the other,” he said. 

Also on Friday, Axios reported that President Trump is considering a proposal that would allow Iran to continue a “token” level of uranium enrichment, provided there are safeguards to ensure no path to a nuclear weapon. Axios cited a senior official who said, “President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home. If the Iranians want to prevent an attack, they should give us an offer we can't refuse. The Iranians keep missing the window. If they play games, there won't be a lot of patience.” 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that the Islamic Republic would be finalizing its proposal over the next two to three days. 

Meanwhile, the large buildup of U.S. forces in the region has led to significant speculation regarding a possible U.S. military strike on Iran. According to Axios, several proposals for strikes have been presented to Trump over the past few days, including a proposal to eliminate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, along with several of the leading mullahs. 

The Israeli cabinet is expected to meet on Sunday, where they will also discuss the situation in Iran. Israeli officials told Kan News that they expect the U.S. to give Israel sufficient warning before a strike, to allow for defensive preparations. 

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Iran will not bow to foreign pressure. 

“World powers are lining up to force us to bow our heads… but we will not bow our heads despite all the problems that they are creating for us,” Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast on state media. 

During an interview with Fox News, special envoy Steve Witkoff said President Trump is “curious” as to why the Iranian government has not yet capitulated, seeing the buildup of U.S. forces in the region. 

Steve Witkoff:

“The president is curious as to why (Iran) hasn't capitulated. Why, under this pressure with the amount of naval power over there, haven't they come to us and said we profess we don't want a weapon” pic.twitter.com/FuRYqSamkV

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 22, 2026

Over the weekend, students at several Iranian universities held rallies against the Islamic Republic’s regime, as campuses resumed classes and demonstrations were reported at schools across the country.

Students Rise Across Iran: “Death to Khamenei” Echoes Through Universities

On the very first day of universities reopening, students across Iran took to the streets and campus grounds, chanting slogans against the regime and directly against Khamenei.

Student protests, reported… pic.twitter.com/mT16SVkXUr

— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) February 21, 2026

The current standoff with Iran started after demonstrations began in Iran, protesting the severe economic situation in the country. President Trump promised to support the protesters, saying the U.S. was “locked and loaded” and threatening the regime, if it harmed the protesters. 

However, following brutal crackdowns by the Islamic Republic’s regime, and reports of significant numbers of casualties, President Trump has still not acted against the Iranian government.  

These student protests mark the first public protests since the regime violently suppressed the January protests, killing thousands of Iranian citizens.