US, Iran eye talks within days, Axios names participants
Photo: Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US and Iranian representatives may meet in the capital of Pakistan as early as the end of this week, reports Axios journalist Barak Ravid.
The journalist, citing an Israeli official, said that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are holding talks with Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Ravid also reported that intermediary countries are trying to arrange a meeting in Islamabad. According to the journalist’s source, Ghalibaf and other representatives will attend from Tehran, while Witkoff, Kushner, and possibly vice president JD Vance will represent the United States.
The Israeli official said the meeting is likely to take place at the end of this week.
Background
Today, March 23, Trump said that Tehran wants to make a deal, and that it could happen within five days or sooner. He emphasized that the latest talks with Iran took place last night.
When asked who the US administration had been negotiating with, Trump said that Iran had representatives.
After talks with Iran, Trump postponed strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure. He said that over the past two days, Washington and Tehran had held “very productive and constructive talks” on resolving the conflict.
Later, Iranian media denied Trump’s statement and reported that no talks between Tehran and Washington had taken place. Iran’s Foreign Ministry claims that the US president is simply trying to buy time while regional de-escalation efforts continue.
