Iran seeks to ease relations; Israel may plan further strikes on nuclear facilities.

On June 16, according to the Wall Street Journal, officials in the Middle East and Europe said that Iran has been urgently signaling that it seeks to end hostilities, resume negotiations on its nuclear program, and send a message to Israel and the United States through Arab intermediaries. In the midst of heavy Israeli airstrikes, Tehran told Arab officials that they were willing to return to the negotiating table as long as the United States did not join the airstrikes, the officials said. They also sent a message to Israel that it was in the interests of both sides to control the violence. But with Israeli warplanes able to fly freely over the Iranian capital, and with minimal damage from Iran’s retaliation, Israel’s leaders have little incentive to stop their attacks until they do more to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and further weaken Iran’s “theocratic government’s” grip on power.