White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet Friday in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear deal, according to a Monday report from Axios.
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The meeting would mark the first direct contact between U.S. and Iranian officials since last June, when negotiations collapsed and the U.S. joined the Israeli bombing operation against Tehran. It comes amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the Gulf; President Donald Trump has warned the Iranians that only a rapid deal can avert conflict.
The prospective talks follow intensive mediation by Turkey, Egypt and Qatar. On Monday, the Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers again spoke with Araghchi, and Iranian state media reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian had ordered renewed negotiations. Araghchi said Iran is ready for diplomacy but will not capitulate to “pressure, intimidation, and force.”
The Trump administration insists any agreement must cover Iran’s nuclear program, missiles and regional proxies, terms Tehran has long opposed. How negotiators will bridge that divide remains unclear.
