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The next round of negotiations between the United States and Iran is reportedly scheduled for July 11 in Pakistan, according to Al Arabiya. The meeting would mark the latest step in ongoing efforts to transform last month’s interim agreement into a broader, long-term deal between the two countries.

The report comes as Iran continues a six-day state funeral for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28. The ceremonies began on Saturday and are expected to conclude with his burial on July 9.

According to Al Arabiya, the upcoming discussions are expected to center on U.S. sanctions, Iran’s frozen financial assets, and Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian officials have reportedly not yet selected the head of their negotiating team, with that decision expected only after the funeral concludes.

If the meeting takes place, it would follow this week’s indirect technical talks in Doha, Qatar, where American and Iranian representatives met through mediators from Qatar and Pakistan to discuss implementation of the interim agreement reached last month.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that any lasting agreement must resolve issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, sanctions relief, and security in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have continued pressing for the gradual release of billions of dollars in frozen assets as part of a comprehensive settlement.

Neither the U.S. government nor the Iranian regime has officially confirmed the reported July 11 meeting. In recent months, Pakistan, together with Qatar, has taken on an increasingly significant role in facilitating indirect contacts as both sides work toward replacing the temporary accord with a permanent agreement.

Hamas is reportedly preparing to dismantle the governing body that has effectively run the Gaza Strip for nearly 20 years, according to officials within the terrorist organization who spoke with Asharq Al-Awsat. The move is said to be part of a broader effort to replace Hamas’ governing structure with a civilian administrative body.

According to the report, Hamas plans to dissolve its Committee for Monitoring Government Activity, the organization that has functioned as Gaza’s de facto government since Hamas seized control of the territory. In its place, the group intends to hand responsibility to the Gaza Strip Administration Committee, headed by Ali Shaat, which is expected to consist of professional civilian technocrats rather than Hamas officials.

The new administrative committee was established approximately six months ago. However, Israeli authorities reportedly blocked its members from entering Gaza, preventing the body from beginning its operations.

A Hamas official told Asharq Al-Awsat that an announcement formally dissolving the Committee for Monitoring Government Activity could be made as early as Monday.

The report also said that representatives of various Palestinian factions are expected to meet again in Cairo in the coming days as negotiations continue over implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. The discussions may also include senior members of the Peace Council as well as representatives of the Trump administration.

During recent negotiations held in Turkey with representatives from Qatar and Egypt, Hamas reportedly demanded that any disarmament process take place gradually, with its weapons ultimately transferred to a Palestinian governing body rather than surrendered outright. The terrorist organization also insisted that Israel commit to a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as part of any broader agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu dismissed speculation of friction with President Donald Trump during an exclusive interview with Fox News on Sunday, insisting that the close partnership between Israel and the United States remains intact and that both leaders continue to stand united on the most critical issues, especially Iran.

Addressing reports of strained ties, Netanyahu said there is no meaningful disagreement between the two governments. “I don’t think there is a rift between us. Unlike other alliances, Israel and America fight shoulder to shoulder. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the president and I see eye to eye.”

Asked about Trump’s recent comment that Netanyahu “knows who the boss is,” the prime minister downplayed the remark, emphasizing that he and the president continue to enjoy “excellent relations” and remain fully aligned on the shared goal of preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Netanyahu also issued a firm warning to the Iranian regime following reports that Tehran has resumed reconstruction work and may have violated previous understandings at tunnel sites near Natanz.

“Deal or no deal, as long as I am prime minister of Israel, Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he declared.

The conversation later shifted to developments in American politics, including what Netanyahu described as a weakening of support for Israel within certain sectors of the United States.

Responding to a question about Jewish elected officials who have criticized his government’s policies while facing mounting pressure from progressive activists, Netanyahu argued that they have allowed themselves to be influenced by political trends.

“They allow themselves to be dragged along by unreasonable protests and toxic ideology,” he said. “I don’t think this trend will last. America can try socialism. We tried it in Israel in the past, and it simply didn’t work. I chose to pursue a free-market economy, and it has worked much better.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s office is reportedly working to ensure the Knesset formally dissolves before the upcoming election campaign, amid concerns that failing to pass a dissolution law could leave him vulnerable to being replaced through a constructive vote of no confidence while Israelis are still heading to the polls.

According to reports, officials in Netanyahu’s office held discussions over the weekend with Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik after raising concerns that if the Knesset merely enters election recess without formally dissolving itself, the current government would not automatically become a caretaker government.

Under such a scenario, legal officials were reportedly told, the Knesset could still convene during the election period and approve a constructive no-confidence motion, replacing the prime minister and installing a new government before the election is even held.

The Prime Minister’s Office is said to be particularly concerned about the period following the Likud primaries. Officials fear that MKs who receive unrealistic spots on the party’s electoral slate—or fail to secure a place altogether—could join efforts to topple Netanyahu, potentially alongside four coalition lawmakers who have already been acting more like members of the opposition.

To prevent that possibility, Likud is seeking to advance legislation formally dissolving the Knesset before the election campaign begins. Coalition officials believe that once the government assumes caretaker status, it would no longer be possible to remove the prime minister through a constructive vote of no confidence during the campaign.

At the same time, a dispute has emerged between coalition leaders and the Knesset’s legal advisers over when the election recess should begin. Afik maintains that, under the accepted legal interpretation, the recess must start 100 days before Election Day. Coalition leaders, however, are seeking several additional days to complete a series of legislative initiatives before lawmakers adjourn.

Meanwhile, officials in United Torah Judaism have indicated they may withhold support for a bill to dissolve the Knesset if the recess begins on July 17. Instead, the party is pressing to postpone the start of the recess until July 27.