Prospects for negotiations between the United States and Iran on nuclear proliferation have dimmed significantly. Just a few days ago, it seemed the two sides were ready to return to negotiations. But US President Donald Trump then said he was not speaking to Iran and was not offering Tehran anything.

Iran’s president has ordered the country to suspend its co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency after US and Israeli air strikes hit its most-important nuclear facilities. The order by Masoud Pezeshkian included no timetable or details but is likely to further limit inspectors’ ability to track Tehran’s programme which had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels.