Iran held direct talks with the US amid escalating conflict with Israel - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held phone talks, trying to find a diplomatic solution to the escalating situation in the Middle East. Iran is ready for negotiations, but demands an end to Israeli strikes.
United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have spoken by phone several times since Israel began striking Iran last week. They are trying to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis, three diplomats told Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
According to diplomats who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue, Araghchi stated that Tehran will not return to negotiations unless Israel ceases the attacks that began on June 13.
They said the talks included a brief discussion of a US proposal presented to Iran in late May, which aims to create a regional consortium that would enrich uranium outside of Iran. Tehran had previously rejected this proposal.
The phone talks this week were the most substantial direct negotiations since diplomatic contacts between the US and Iran began in April of this year.
A regional diplomat close to Tehran said Araghchi told Witkoff that Tehran "can show flexibility on the nuclear issue" if Washington pressures Israel to stop the war.
A European diplomat said, "Araghchi told Witkoff that Iran is ready to return to nuclear negotiations, but cannot if Israel continues its bombing."
Aside from brief meetings after five rounds of indirect negotiations since April to discuss Iran's long-standing nuclear dispute, Araghchi and Witkoff had not had direct contact before.
A second regional diplomat who spoke to Reuters said, "The call was initiated by Washington, which also offered a new proposal" to overcome the stalemate caused by conflicting red lines.
Addendum
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz openly threatens Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after the latter's latest Iranian missile strike damaged a major hospital in southern Israel and hit several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv.