Very Auspicious Days Ahead

 25 Iyyar 5785
40 Days of the Omer - Hod sheb'Yesod
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Behar - Bechukotai/ Mevorchim

[Traditional Shabbat post can be seen HERE.]

UPDATE: Iran-US Nuclear Talks End With Limited Progress

The fifth round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States ended on Friday in Rome with limited progress, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said.

He said, "The fifth round of Iran US talks have concluded today in Rome with some but not conclusive progress."

Albusaidi added: "We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days, to allow us to proceed towards the common goal of reaching a sustainable and honourable agreement."

No decision has been made on scheduling a sixth round of talks, according to Iranian media.

* * *

The fifth round of talks on a nuclear agreement between the US and Iran were supposed to begin an hour and a half ago in Rome.  As we wait to see what the outcome will be, there is a sense of it being make-or-break time.  Hence it's worth noting the historical significance of these days.

The Six Day War began 5 June 1967.  It was 26 Iyyar 5727, the 41st day of the Omer - Yesod sheb'Yesod.  Shabbat - tomorrow - is 26 Iyyar 5785.  Fifty-eight years on!

What we celebrate today as Yom Yerushalayim, commemorating the liberation of East Jerusalem and the Old City, including the Temple Mount, occurred on 7 June 1967.  It was 28 Iyyar 5727, the 43rd day of the Omer - Chesed sheb'Malchut!!

The Six Day War ended with a UN-mediated ceasefire on 10 June 1967.  It was 2 Sivan 5727, the 46th day of the Omer - Netzach sheb'Malchut!!!

Will the talks break down?  Will Israel launch a pre-emptive attack on Iran over Shabbat - a first strike like the Six Day War?  Will this be a continuation of that war to finish conquering the Land?  To get the Temple Mount back in our hands?

Interestingly, the Prime Minister was quoted yesterday as saying if Israel goes to war with Iran, he expects it to last a week.  Will it be during the final week of the Omer count again?  Will malchut return to us during the week of Malchut?  

If there is any news before Shabbat comes in, I'll update it in red at the top of this page, iy"H.

Reported 3 pm IST...

Iran, U.S. Hold Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks in Rome

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Rome on Friday for the fifth round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States.

The talks were scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Iran time, with Araghchi negotiating indirectly with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Oman is mediating the discussions.

The negotiations seek a new deal that would prevent Iran from producing nuclear weapons while easing international sanctions.

However, little progress has been made, with both sides taking tough public stances on uranium enrichment.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Friday, “It is natural that every round has its own sensitivities, especially in light of contradictory statements by U.S. officials and the new wave of sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic."

He added, “I must emphasize that the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is seriously and firmly fighting for the rights of our country - for the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the lifting of brutal sanctions."

Witkoff has said that the United States will not accept “even one percent” of enrichment capacity in any agreement, arguing that enrichment paves the way for acquiring nuclear weapons.

“We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even 1 percent of an enrichment capability,” Witkoff said.

On Wednesday, Araghchi stated that uranium enrichment would continue inside Iran regardless of nuclear negotiations with the United States.

“Our position is completely clear - enrichment will continue with or without an agreement,” Araghchi told reporters at a memorial ceremony for officials killed in last year’s helicopter crash.

His statement follows U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s insistence that Iran should import enriched uranium rather than produce it domestically.

“If parties want transparency regarding Iran’s peaceful program, we are ready, but in return, sanctions must be lifted,” Araghchi said.

“We have never abandoned diplomacy. We will always be present at the negotiating table, and the main reason for our presence is to defend the rights of the Iranian people,” Araghchi added. “We stand against excessive demands and rhetoric at the table.”

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected U.S. demands on Tuesday, calling restrictions on enrichment “a big mistake.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran now enriches uranium to 60 percent purity and has stockpiled enough material that, if further enriched, could fuel six nuclear weapons.

The negotiations, mediated by Oman, aim to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the easing of U.S. economic sanctions.

President Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear sites if no agreement is reached.

In response, Iranian officials have warned that they may pursue the development of a nuclear weapon using their current stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

The fourth round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States concluded in Muscat earlier this month. Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the discussions as “difficult but useful.”

After roughly three hours of talks, ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei echoed that sentiment, calling them “difficult but useful talks to better understand each other’s positions and to find reasonable and realistic ways to address the differences.”