As the world prepares for the opening whistle of the World Cup, a race against time is underway in Washington and Tehran, between a strike and a deal, and between rational calculation and extremist ideology. History shows that sporting events are not just games. At times, they blur judgment and accelerate dramatic decisions.

A Chinese military court sentenced two former defense ministers to death for corruption, with a two-year reprieve after which the sentence will be commuted to life in prison. The convictions come amid an unprecedented wave of purges in the upper ranks of the Chinese military led by President Xi Jinping, which has already resulted in the removal of more than 100 senior officers.

The Wall Street Journal has revealed the document Washington sent Tehran, which demands that Iran fully divest itself of highly enriched material and stop enrichment for 15 years. In return, the US would end the blockade and lift some sanctions on Iran.

IDF officials warn that the quiet from Gaza is “misleading.” On the ground, Hamas supplies itself through smuggling from the air, sea and land, rebuilding its strength and rearming. The humanitarian aid it has seized is giving it cash and oxygen. That is why officials believe it is now important for Israel to keep insisting on advancing an agreement to demilitarize the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu stressed at the start of the cabinet meeting that Israel and the US were acting in “full coordination” on the Iranian issue. “The most important goal is to remove all enriched material from Iran.” Trump said pressure on Tehran was continuing and that the Iranians “want to make a deal.” The US president made clear: “We will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. They have one week to reach a deal.”