The contradictory signals from Washington and Tehran continue unabated. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that progress had been made toward an agreement with Iran, although much work remains. A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, however, emphasized that the differences between the two sides remain profound. This was reported by Spiegel, citing several US media outlets.
According to consistent reports from the portal Axios and TV network CBS, US President Donald Trump met with his closest advisors on Friday morning (local time), including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump is seriously considering new attacks on Iran if there is no breakthrough in the negotiations. A final decision has not yet been made, but senior intelligence and military officials have adjusted their plans for the extended weekend and are ready for possible strikes, according to CBS.
Trump himself canceled his attendance at the wedding of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. On Truth Social, he wrote: “I consider it important to remain in Washington, D.C., at the White House during this important time.” Trump left open what exactly he meant by “important time.” Earlier, referring to the wedding, he said it was “not good timing” – he had “this thing called Iran and other things.”
Next Monday is Memorial Day in the US, a holiday honoring fallen US soldiers. Whether attacks could occur on that day is unclear. Meanwhile, the Pakistani mediators in Tehran are trying to prevent an escalation. EuroPulse reported on May 22, 2026, about a poll showing that two-thirds of US citizens see Trump as too focused on deportations (https://europulse.today/umfrage-trump-wirtschaft-abschiebungen-iran/).
Source: www.spiegel.de
