U.S. Says It Is Ready to Meet and Negotiate With Iran

Senior U.S. officials told Axios that Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar are actively working to arrange a meeting later this week in Ankara between White House envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Iranian officials. One regional official involved in the effort said preparations are advancing, while a second U.S. official confirmed that a U.S.–Iran meeting in Türkiye remains a real possibility.

The three mediating countries, which previously cooperated with Washington on the Gaza ceasefire, see U.S.–Iran dialogue as critical to preventing escalation across the region.

White House: Diplomacy Still an Option

White House officials say President Donald Trump has not reached a final decision on military action against Iran and continues to favor a diplomatic outcome if possible. U.S. officials stressed that Trump’s public remarks about negotiations reflect a genuine effort, not a tactical bluff.

However, uncertainty remains over whether Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will authorize negotiators to pursue an agreement acceptable to Washington.

Iran Signals Conditional Openness

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said “friendly countries” are attempting to build trust between Tehran and Washington, describing the mediation efforts as productive. He indicated that further talks could be possible if the U.S. negotiating team pursues what he described as a fair and balanced agreement that eliminates the prospect of nuclear weapons.

Diplomatic activity has intensified in recent days. Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani traveled to Tehran and met Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a close adviser to Khamenei. Shortly after the meeting, Larijani said work on a negotiating framework was moving forward.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also urged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to agree to a meeting with U.S. officials, while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted Iran’s foreign minister to discuss potential venues and the agenda for talks with Washington.

Khamenei Draws a Red Line

Despite the diplomatic activity, Axios reports that Khamenei adopted a confrontational tone in a speech in Tehran, accusing the United States of seeking to dominate Iran and exploit its natural resources.

He warned that any U.S.-initiated war would escalate into a regional conflict, making no reference to ongoing mediation or negotiations.

Military Calculations Continue

Asked about Khamenei’s remarks, Trump pointed to the U.S. military presence in the region, saying American forces include “the biggest, most powerful ships in the world.” He added that while he hopes a deal can be reached, the alternative remains uncertain.

According to Axios, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir recently held talks in Washington with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, focusing on possible scenarios in the event of a conflict with Iran. U.S. and Israeli officials said the discussions were intended to align defensive and offensive planning should diplomacy fail.