<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Tehran to "get serious soon" on negotiating a deal to end the war.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump posted to social media on Thursday that Iranian leaders should engage "before it is too late, because once that happens there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won't be pretty!"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He did not elaborate, but said Iran should be negotiating because "they have been militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The post came a day after Trump said a deal to end the war is near, despite Tehran's dismissal of his 15-point ceasefire plan.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war and does not plan to.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Araghchi said the US had tried to send messages to Iran through other nations, "but that is not a conversation nor a negotiation".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Pakistan says it's actively working to bring the US and Iran to the negotiating table. But Pakistan's Foreign Ministry did not confirm whether direct talks would take place in Islamabad later this week.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-donald-trump-tells-iran-to-get-serious-soon-on-negotiations-after-tehran-rejects-ceasefire/8f6bb5cc-c858-4ffb-91ce-512800f35450" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At a weekly news briefing, ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said details on the timing, venue and itinerary would be shared in due course.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Asked whether Iranian or US delegations were expected to hold talks in Islamabad later this week, he said, "We will let you know when these developments take place".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He added that Pakistan's diplomatic efforts are aimed at ending the conflict and emphasised that the initiative is not directed against any country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Thursday the conflict continued, with Israel's military saying it had killed the Iranian navy intelligence chief, labelling Behnam Rezaei a "central knowledge authority in maritime intelligence".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier on Thursday, Israel said it had killed the commander of Iran's navy, Alireza Tangsiri, in an overnight airstrike in Bandar Abbas.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Israel said Tangsiri had been responsible for bombing operations that blocked the Strait of Hormuz.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran has been blocking ships it perceives as linked to the US and Israeli war effort from the Strait of Hormuz, but it is letting through a trickle of others through the crucial waterway.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a bloc of six Gulf Arab nations, said Iran was charging for safe passage through the strait.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, the US was preparing for the arrival of thousands of troops that could be used on the ground in Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The death toll from the war has risen to more than 1900 people in Iran and nearly 1100 people in Lebanon, with dozens more killed in Israel and elsewhere in the region. Thirteen US military members have died. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Further entanglement in Iran could frustrate Trump's supporters</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump still has deep support among Republicans, but a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that the president risks frustrating his voters during a midterm election year if the United States gets involved in the kind of prolonged war in the Middle East that he promised to avoid.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The vast majority of Republicans in the AP-NORC poll, 81 per cent, say it's "extremely" or "very" important for the US to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, lending support to one of the goals Trump has articulated since the war began.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But only about half of Republicans see replacing Iran's government with leaders who are more friendly to the US as a high priority.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stephen Hauss, 40, is a state Agriculture Department employee in Camden, Delaware, where he manages environmental programs. Hauss described his political views as libertarian-leaning, and he voted for Trump in 2024. But the start of the Iran war has changed his views about the president.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Before the war I was just kind of like, 'OK, like, I voted for him. I got to give him, like, some benefit of the doubt,'" he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now, Hauss said he can't support the US trying to change the leadership of another country. He added, "I don't think I am on board with this anymore."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Trust in Trump remains high among Republicans, AP-NORC poll shows</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About three-quarters of Republicans approve of Trump's handling of the presidency, and a similar 70 per cent approve of how he's handling Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many Republicans continue to have "a great deal" or "quite a bit" of trust in the president to make the right decisions on foreign issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About half place a high level of trust in him when it comes to the use of military force outside the US. Roughly the same percentage of Republicans have a high level of trust in his dealings with adversaries and allies.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sharon Fuller, 68, is a firm backer of the president and approves of his handling of the job, as well as the war in Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A retired hospital analyst from Ocklawaha, Florida, Fuller expressed some reservations about the war but called Trump a "huge patriot" and said she's been impressed with how the stock market has done since he became president again.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't really agree with the war, but on the other hand, I think it's a necessity at this point," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>