Iran seeks dialogue with US amid protests and Trump’s military threats – Axios

According to sources, this contact appears to be Tehran’s attempt to de-escalate tensions or buy time ahead of possible US actions.

It is reported that Araghchi and Witkoff discussed the possibility of holding a meeting in the coming days, but the details of the communication format — whether by phone or text messages — have not yet been confirmed.

The White House and the State Department have not commented.

The contact between Araghchi and Witkoff is not new: they began exchanging text messages during the 2025 nuclear negotiations and continued communication even after the bombings of Iranian nuclear sites in June. Their contact was maintained in October last year when potential negotiations were discussed.

Current situation between the US and Iran

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday, January 11, that Iran had reached out to him with a proposal to discuss the nuclear deal, adding, "We may meet with them. A meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what's happening, before the meeting. … but a meeting is being set up."

At the same time, US Vice President J.D. Vance noted that the US is open to negotiations on a new agreement, "The smartest thing for them to have done, it was true two months ago, it is true today, is for them to actually have a real negotiation with the United States about what we need to see when it comes to their nuclear program."

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated, "The communication channel between our Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the US Special Representative is open, and messages are exchanged as needed." He also added that Iran and the US maintain contact through the Swiss mediation channel, but the messages received from the US are often contradictory.

Meanwhile, Trump plans to hold a national security meeting on Tuesday to evaluate options for supporting the protests and weakening the Iranian regime. The US President said he is considering "very serious options" and that the military is actively analyzing the situation before a final decision is made.

What is happening in Iran

Since late December 2025, massive anti-government protests have erupted in Iran, later escalating into violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

The first protests began on December 28 in Tehran over the rapid devaluation of the national currency, which severely affected businesses. Among those taking to the streets were traders from the city’s central market.

According to the latest data, more than 500 people have died in the protests in Iran, and over 10,600 have been arrested.