Iran has tentatively agreed to resume nuclear talks with the US because it tries to avert the threat of further military strikes, in what can be the first such negotiations since the Trump administration bombed three of Iran’s nuclear websites last summer.
Iran’s high diplomat Abbas Araghchi is predicted to meet US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Istanbul on Friday, three sources advised NCS Monday. Iran’s president later confirmed it was pursing negotiations –– although with situations.
“I have instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists — one free from threats and unreasonable expectations — to pursue fair and equitable negotiations, guided by the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency,” wrote Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on X on Tuesday.
Pezeshkian mentioned he had given the go-ahead for the negotiations following “requests from friendly governments in the region.”
“These negotiations shall be conducted within the framework of our national interests,” mentioned Pezeshkian.
While Pezeshkian is president, final energy in Iran rests with the nation’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He struck a defiant tone in Tehran on Sunday, warning that any US strike on Iran would end in a regional warfare.
Tensions have soared within the last few weeks, with US President Donald Trump sending a US “armada” to the area and renewing threats to strike Iran once more if it doesn’t agree to negotiate a brand new nuclear deal. Earlier in January, Trump had additionally warned of doable military motion in response to nationwide protests in Iran, which had triggered lethal crackdowns by safety forces.
People acquainted with the matter advised NCS last week that Trump was contemplating choices together with airstrikes concentrating on Iran’s leaders, nuclear websites, and authorities establishments. A US provider strike group is now within the area, the place it might help any potential operations in opposition to the nation.
Iran is believed to have hundreds of missiles and drones inside vary of US troops based mostly in various nations within the Middle East, and has threatened to strike them, in addition to Israel.
The previous few days have seen a flurry of diplomatic exercise as regional leaders and gamers rushed to discover an off-ramp to keep away from battle. Qatar, Turkey and Egypt have led these efforts, with Turkey providing to host in-person talks between the US and Iran.
Foreign ministers from Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are additionally anticipated to attend the Istanbul talks, the three sources advised NCS.
Diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, mentioned on Tuesday that the area doesn’t want an Iran-US warfare, and that the Middle East has already gone “through various, various calamitous confrontations.” He additionally mentioned that Iran “needs to reach a deal.”
Trump has expressed some optimism about negotiations, telling reporters on Sunday that Iran was “talking to us, seriously talking to us.”
Araghchi also told NCS Sunday that he was “confident that we can achieve a deal.”
But different Iranian leaders have taken a firmer tone. Ali Bagheri, the overseas coverage head at Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), mentioned on Monday the nation has “no intention” of negotiating over its enriched uranium stockpiles, in accordance to Iranian state media outlet Press TV.
Just weeks earlier than the US struck Iran’s nuclear services last 12 months, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) raised “serious concern” that Iran was enriching uranium to 60%, noting that it was the one “non-nuclear weapon state” to be doing so.
On Monday, Ali Shamkhani, a key advisor to Khamenei, advised Lebanese media that the US “must offer something in return” if Iran have been to scale back the extent of enrichment, Press TV reported.
Iran has been attempting to rebuild its nuclear websites even deeper underground since the US strikes, in accordance to an individual acquainted with current US intelligence on the problem. The regime has additionally barred the UN’s nuclear watchdog from inspecting its nuclear websites.
Iran and the US held a number of rounds of oblique nuclear talks in April and May 2025 earlier than a shock mid-June Israeli strike on Iran led to the cancelation of additional talks, adopted days later by the US strike on Iran – which successfully ended the method.
Iran had beforehand dominated out direct talks with the US.