Negotiations between the United States and Iran have encountered new complications.
In early trading, spot gold and silver exhibited volatile movements and were in negative territory at the time of writing.
Crude oil, however, opened significantly higher, gaining over 1.3% at the time of writing.
On the news front, the Iranian delegation engaged in talks with the US in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, abruptly suspended negotiations on the 21st to protest threatening remarks made the same day by US President Donald Trump directed at Iran.
Trump warned Iran on social media to immediately cease its "proxy" activities in Lebanon, threatening that the US would launch strikes against Iran again, "and more powerfully," if it did not comply.
According to Iranian sources, the Iranian delegation protested Trump's comments to the American side, subsequently left the negotiating venue, and paused talks that had been ongoing for 80 minutes to conduct internal consultations. It is reported that Iran is formulating an appropriate response plan.
Simultaneously, the head of the Iranian delegation and Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated on social media, "They had better watch their words and actions, our armed forces are prepared to respond to them in different ways."
Regarding this incident, sources from Lebanon indicate that Iran's response is clear: the Iranian delegation will not return to the negotiating table unless Trump apologizes for his threatening remarks and Israeli forces withdraw from southern Lebanon.
It is reported that the negotiation timeline has been extended beyond the original schedule, and it remains unknown whether the Iranian delegation will resume talks.
According to Israeli reports on the evening of the 21st, Israel is considering a "limited withdrawal" of its forces from southern Lebanon.
It is understood that Israel's political leadership and security establishment held a series of consultations over the past 24 hours, and communication has occurred at "all levels" between Israel and the United States. According to informed senior officials, Israel has not yet received any formal request from the US to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, but Israel is studying the possibility of a "limited pullback" from some areas currently under its control that are located beyond the "Blue Line."
Reports also suggest that the likelihood of an Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon is increasing amid ongoing US pressure, but Israeli officials emphasize that maintaining a presence within the "Blue Line" remains Israel's "bottom line."
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