Former Official Says US-Iran Talks Stalled Over Israel

April 13 (CCTV International News) — Joe Kent, former director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, said in a late-night post on April 12 local time that U.S.-Iran talks could have succeeded, but demands for "zero uranium enrichment" caused the negotiations to break down. He called for sticking to U.S. demands — not Israel’s position — to salvage the situation within the remaining 9-day ceasefire window. Kent noted the U.S. government’s red line has never been "zero uranium enrichment" but "Iran not having nuclear weapons" — a point Iran also agrees to. Iran has not sought to develop or acquire nuclear weapons since 2003, he added, and its need to retain uranium enrichment capability makes U.S.-Iran negotiations feasible. His top priority now: restrain Israel, reach an agreement, and open the Strait of Hormuz.