US and Iran Set for Face-to-Face in Istanbul Friday: Nuclear Talks Back On
White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to hold direct talks in Istanbul on Friday, marking the first meeting since the collapse of negotiations and the 12-day war in June. The session follows intense mediation by Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, even as U.S. military forces remain heavily deployed in the Gulf.
The United States and Iran are poised to resume direct negotiations on a new nuclear agreement with a planned meeting Friday in Istanbul between White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to multiple sources familiar with the diplomatic effort.
A senior U.S. administration official told Walla Monday evening that Witkoff will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Tuesday to discuss the Iranian issue ahead of the Istanbul talks. A senior Iranian official confirmed the details to Reuters, adding that for the talks to resume, Iran insists there should be no preconditions and that Tehran is prepared to show flexibility on uranium enrichment, including handing over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and accepting zero enrichment under an international consortium arrangement as a solution.
The planned encounter represents the first direct engagement between American and Iranian officials since the breakdown of previous negotiations and the brief but intense 12-day war in June 2025. Sources close to the matter described the Friday meeting in Istanbul as the most optimistic scenario, while cautioning that it could still fall through.
The diplomatic push stems from recent coordination among Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, the same countries that helped broker the Gaza ceasefire. On Monday, the foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt spoke again with Araghchi to discuss the possibility and logistics of the meeting. Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency reported earlier Monday that the sides are expected to open talks in the coming days, led by Witkoff and Araghchi.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian instructed the renewal of negotiations with the Trump administration, according to a report from the Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Fars news agency. In a speech Monday, Araghchi stated that Iran is ready for diplomacy but emphasized that diplomacy does not align with pressure, threats, and the use of force. We hope the results of diplomacy will become clear soon, he said.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met in Tehran on Saturday with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a close confidant of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Shortly after, Larijani posted on X that contrary to the artificial war-mongering media atmosphere, the formation of a framework for negotiations is progressing.
Witkoff's visit to Israel on Tuesday includes meetings with Netanyahu, who personally requested the stopover in advance of any potential talks with the Iranians, according to an Israeli official. Witkoff is also scheduled to meet Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. Zamir visited Washington on Friday and met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine to update each other on defensive and offensive plans in the event of war with Iran.
Following Israel, Witkoff travels to Abu Dhabi for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday, then continues to Turkey for the session with Araghchi.
The diplomatic track unfolds against the backdrop of Trump's large-scale military reinforcement in the Gulf, ordered in preparation for possible strikes on Iran. Trump stated last week that Iran is conducting serious talks with Washington, shortly after Larijani said preparations for negotiations were advancing. Despite the military tension, the administration continues to express willingness for a diplomatic solution through a new nuclear deal.