US President Donald Trump blocked an Israeli plan to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities in May, a New York Times report revealed, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The report, published Wednesday, said "Israel" had been prepared to launch an offensive targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and was counting on US backing. However, Trump halted the operation, favoring a deal amid the ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.

Israeli officials had told the US that the strike could delay Iran’s nuclear ambitions by at least a year. But, as the Times noted, “all Israeli plans would have required US help in carrying out the attack and defending Israel from Iran’s response.”

The decision followed “months of internal negotiations” within the Trump administration over whether to opt for diplomacy or stand firmly behind "Israel’s" military ambitions, the newspaper added.

Meanwhile, indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran have begun in Muscat, Oman. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff participated in the first round. Witkoff called the discussions “positive and constructive,” while Araghchi described the environment as “constructive and calm.” According to the White House, a second round of talks is scheduled for April 19.

UN nuclear chief: Iran close to bomb capability

Meanwhile, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has warned that Iran is “not far” from having the capability to produce a nuclear bomb, just before landing in Tehran on Wednesday for high-level discussions and amid "Israel's" repeated threats of carrying out strikes against the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to Le Monde, Grossi compared Iran’s nuclear progress to assembling a puzzle: “They have the pieces, and one day they could eventually put them together," he claimed. While he acknowledged that Iran hasn’t reached the finish line, he cautioned, “They’re not far off, that has to be acknowledged.”

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Grossi emphasized the importance of oversight, stating, “It’s not enough to tell the international community ‘we don’t have nuclear weapons’ for them to believe you. We need to be able to verify.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), led by Grossi, was originally tasked with monitoring Iran’s adherence to the 2015 nuclear agreement—a deal that collapsed after the US exited under President Donald Trump in 2018.

Upon arrival in Tehran, Grossi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who described the meeting as a “useful discussion” in a post on X. Araghchi urged the IAEA chief to shield the agency from political interference and warned against “spoilers” attempting to “derail current negotiations.”

Ahead of his visit, Grossi had stressed on social media that Tehran’s collaboration with the agency remains “indispensable to provide credible assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme at a time when diplomacy is urgently needed.”

Grossi is also scheduled to hold talks with Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.

Grossi tempers rhetoric in Tehran 

Grossi appeared to soften his tone after arriving in Tehran on Wednesday, following a sharply critical interview for Le Monde in which he dropped a bomb over Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Grossi had claimed that Iran was “not far” from being able to assemble a nuclear weapon—remarks that added pressure just ahead of high-level meetings in the Iranian capital.

However, after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Grossi struck a more diplomatic tone, calling the discussions “important” and emphasizing that “cooperation with the IAEA is indispensable to provide credible assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme at a time when diplomacy is urgently needed,” as he posted on X.

Araghchi, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, remained firm in asserting Iran’s right to enrich uranium, saying earlier Wednesday that enrichment “is non-negotiable". The contrast between Grossi’s warning before the trip and his more measured statements in Tehran suggests a shift.

In short, the convergence of renewed diplomacy and sharpened warnings reveals a volatile juncture in the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program. While indirect US-Iran talks in Muscat suggest a cautious reactivation of diplomatic channels, Rafael Grossi’s latest remarks mark a notable escalation in tone—shifting from previously measured language to open alarm. His assertion that Iran is “not far” from assembling a nuclear weapon reflects a growing pressure from Washington amid heightened geopolitical tensions, as Iran repeatedly warned against politicizing the nuclear file.

While the New York Times claimed that Trump favored a deal over a strike, Grossi came with a new rhetoric that raises the question whether this is a coincidence or a play of concerted roles, signaling possible ill intentions.