U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet Friday in Istanbul, marking a potential restart of direct engagement between Washington and Tehran after months of stalled diplomacy.
Several Arab and Muslim countries are expected to send representatives to the meeting, which aims to discuss the framework for a possible nuclear agreement, according to two sources familiar with the planning and a U.S. official.
Another source described Friday's meeting as the "best-case scenario" following days of diplomatic efforts to bring both sides back to the table.
If it occurs, the meeting would be the first between U.S. and Iranian representatives since talks collapsed last year and a 12-day conflict broke out in June.
It also comes during a significant U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, as President Donald Trump has argued that a swift agreement is the only alternative to military confrontation.
A U.S. administration source said the meeting in Turkey is intended to develop an agreement that could prevent escalation.
The Trump administration hopes Iran will arrive prepared to make concessions.
The planned talks follow recent mediation efforts by Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.
On Monday, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt held further discussions with Araghchi about the proposed meeting.
Iranian state media reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered renewed negotiations with the Trump administration.
Araghchi said in a speech on Monday that Iran is open to diplomacy.
"But diplomacy is incompatible with pressure, intimidation, and force. We hope that its results will soon become evident," Araghchi said.
A key obstacle remains unresolved.
The Trump administration has insisted that any agreement address Iran's nuclear program, missile development, and regional proxy forces, while Iran maintains that only nuclear issues are negotiable.
It remains unclear how Witkoff and Araghchi would bridge that divide.
Ahead of the Istanbul meeting, Witkoff is expected to travel to Israel on Monday and meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday at Netanyahu's request.
Witkoff is also scheduled to meet Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, who recently briefed U.S. military leaders on Israel's planning for a potential conflict with Iran.
Witkoff will then travel to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for trilateral talks involving Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday.
Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is expected to participate.
From there, Witkoff and Kushner are set to travel to Qatar for discussions on Iran with Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, before meeting Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday.
Foreign ministers from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are also planning to attend.
Trump said on Sunday that he remains hopeful for a deal after Iran's leader, Ali Khamenei, warned that any U.S. attack could trigger a regional war.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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