US Pushes for Mid-Week Iran Talks: Focus on Nuclear Deal and Ceasefire with Israel

The possibility of a meeting this week between the US envoy, Steve Wittkoff, and Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, appears to be under discussion at the White House, Axios reports. The goal for the US is to address a diplomatic initiative that includes both a nuclear agreement with Tehran and a ceasefire with Israel. While the meeting has not been finalized, it represents a last-ditch effort by Donald Trump to prevent further conflict and return to agreements. ‘A meeting with the Iranians this week is under consideration,’ confirmed a US official. This encounter is considered crucial as questions persist about whether the US will participate in the new tensions in the Middle East. ‘They want to talk,’ noted a senior US official. So far, Donald Trump has refrained from directly participating in Israel’s attacks on Iran but has made clear that Tehran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be pressuring Trump to join the attacks and bomb Fordow, though the US president insists he can reach an agreement, especially given Iran’s weak negotiating position.