Odaily Citigroup's Chief Investment Officer, Kate Moore, believes that investors appear overly optimistic about an imminent resolution to the U.S.-Iran issue. She stated on Wednesday: "Some of the price volatility we've experienced, especially over the past two days, I think actually indicates that people are extremely optimistic that the issue can be resolved, and also believe that this energy shock will not trigger widespread inflationary effects. To be honest, this worries me a bit." She added: "Regarding how to construct an investment portfolio, I hope for extremely prudent consideration. Because what we want to build right now is a risk-resilient portfolio, and we must also ensure that we can withstand inflation risks, as well as the risk of a conflict that may last longer than current market optimists expect." (Jin10)

Odaily News According to reports, U.S. President Trump has told his aides that he wants to avoid a protracted war in Iran and hopes to end the conflict within the next few weeks. The problem is that Trump does not have a simple way to end the war, and peace negotiations are still in their early stages. In discussions with external political allies, his attention sometimes shifts to other topics, including the upcoming midterm elections, his decision to send immigration officials to airports, and his legislative strategy to push Congress to tighten voter eligibility requirements. A person familiar with the matter revealed that Trump once told a colleague that the war was distracting him from focusing on other priorities. Another person who recently spoke with Trump said the president seemed ready to shift his focus to the next major challenge, but Trump did not specify what that was. Some allies hope he will shift his focus to the Cuba issue, while his close advisors want him to focus on the issue voters care most about: the cost of living, which has been exacerbated by the war. White House Press Secretary Levitt stated: "President Trump is very good at multitasking and can handle multiple challenges simultaneously. The president is fully committed to achieving the military objective of striking Iran. The president's sole goal has always been victory." (The Wall Street Journal)

Odaily According to a report from CCTV, in the early hours of the 26th local time, the Chairman of the Civil Committee of the Iranian Islamic Parliament stated, "We are seeking a bill that can legally uphold Iran's sovereignty, control, and regulatory rights over the Strait of Hormuz, while also generating national revenue through the imposition of tolls." It is reported that a draft of the bill has been prepared but has not yet reached the stage of a complete plan. It will be submitted to the Parliament Research Center next week for refinement with the participation of a legal team, and will be submitted and followed up on after the parliament convenes. According to the bill, Iran will impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Odaily News Arab mediators have revealed that Iran is privately more open to peace talks. The U.S. has temporarily removed Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Kalibaf from its assassination list for 4 to 5 days to allow their participation when negotiations commence. Mediators from Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are pushing for a meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials as early as this week.

Both sides' post-war demands far exceed their pre-war positions. Iran demands U.S. compensation for war damages, the closure of U.S. military bases in the Middle East, and requires international shipping companies to pay fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S., in turn, demands that Iran cease uranium enrichment, restore freedom of navigation in the Strait, and limit its missile program and support for regional militia groups.

Analysts believe that if both sides determine the cost of war is unbearable, a narrow window still exists to first reach a minimal ceasefire agreement, followed by subsequent negotiations to resolve the full agenda. Possible pathways include Iran suspending uranium enrichment activities for several years, reaching a regional non-aggression treaty in exchange for the phased relaxation of sanctions, while leaving issues such as nuclear material disposition and the missile program for later resolution. (Jin10)

Odaily News According to Jinshi, US President Trump, while speaking at a fundraising dinner for the Republican Congressional Committee in Washington D.C., insisted that negotiations are ongoing with Iran, stating "Iran is desperate to make a deal, but they dare not say it openly." Trump claimed this is because its leaders "fear being killed by their own people, and also fear being killed by the US." He also stated that the US has "won too thoroughly" in Iran. (Jinshi)

Odaily News According to CNN, U.S. Vice President Vance may travel to Pakistan this weekend for talks with Iran. Previously, an Iranian military source stated that Iran is continuously monitoring and tracking the movements and changes on the enemy's front lines. If the enemy attempts to conduct ground operations on Iranian islands or other territories, or increases Iran's defense costs through maritime activities in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, Iran will open other fronts in response. The source said that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one of the world's important strategic straits, and Iran has both the will and the capability to pose a threat to it. He stated that if the United States tries to find a solution to the Strait of Hormuz issue through "foolish actions," it should be careful not to let another strait become its new predicament. The source also emphasized that Iran is fully prepared for further escalation of the situation. (Jin10)

Odaily News According to Barak Ravid, a reporter from the Axios website, the Trump administration has not yet received any official message from Iran rejecting the proposal. (Jin10)

Odaily News U.S. House Speaker Johnson stated that the war with Iran is "nearing its end and objectives have been achieved," while emphasizing that the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East serves as a warning to Iran, and clarified that "there will be no ground combat operations." The U.S. Trump administration was recently reported to be deploying additional ground combat forces to the Middle East. The 31st and 11th Marine Expeditionary Units, comprising thousands of troops, are already en route, and combat units under the Army's 82nd Airborne Division are also preparing to deploy to the Middle East. (CCTV News)

Odaily News According to a report from Iran's Fars News Agency on the 24th, the United States and Israel attacked two energy infrastructure sites located in Isfahan in central Iran and Khorramshahr in southwestern Iran. The report stated that the gas company building and a gas pressure reduction station in Isfahan were attacked, damaging some facilities and surrounding residences. The natural gas pipeline at the Khorramshahr power plant was also targeted in the attack, but there were no casualties. (Xinhua News Agency)

Odaily News On the 23rd local time, a senior Iranian official stated that US President Trump has no authority to set conditions or deadlines for negotiations. The official indicated that messages have been exchanged between Iran and the United States through Egypt and Turkey, aimed at easing tensions. However, the US side has still not accepted Iran's two core conditions: compensation for losses and recognition of the violations against Iran. The official also mentioned that regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the laying of mines, these remain among Iran's prepared options for responding to potential actions. On the 23rd, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bagheri said that Iran has received messages from some friendly countries in recent days concerning the US request for negotiations to end the war. Iran has provided an appropriate response based on its principled stance and has not engaged in any negotiations with the United States.

Odaily News The White House stated that it will not confirm whether U.S. officials will hold further talks with Iran or intermediaries this week. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said that the relevant diplomatic discussions are sensitive matters and will not be communicated through the media, and the situation is still evolving.

Odaily News The Trump administration is secretly assessing the possibility of Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf as a potential partner, or even a future leader of Iran, signaling a shift in Trump's strategy from military pressure to ending the war through negotiation. The 64-year-old Ghalibaf has repeatedly threatened retaliation against the United States and its allies, but according to two government officials, at least some within the White House view him as a viable partner who could lead Iran in the next phase of the war and negotiate with the Trump administration. One government official said, "He is a good option," but emphasized that no decisions have been made yet. "He is one of the highest-level candidates. But we have to test them; we can't rush it." Ghalibaf denied on Monday having any negotiations with the United States, but government officials dismissed his comments as domestic political posturing. "We are in a testing phase, trying to figure out who can rise, who wants to rise, who is trying to rise," an official said. "When someone rises, we test them quickly. If they are too radical, we remove them." (Politico)

Odaily News Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it has launched a new round of attacks on targets within Israel and US military bases in the region. (Jin10)

Odaily News: Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf stated that the Iranian people demand severe punishment for the aggressors, and all officials will firmly support the national leaders and the people until this goal is achieved. He emphasized that Iran will not engage in any negotiations with the United States, accusing related false news of being used to manipulate financial and oil markets, while also stating that the United States and Israel are stuck in a quagmire.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that Iran's position regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the conditions for ending the war have not changed. Additionally, 24-hour monitoring of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz shows that passage remains highly restricted. (Jin10)

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that friendly countries have recently conveyed messages suggesting that the United States has requested negotiations to end the war, and Iran has not yet responded. (Jin10)