Khaberni - Reuters, citing an Iranian official, reported that a meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff is scheduled in Istanbul on Friday.
The official added that Tehran is prepared to show flexibility in the uranium enrichment file, including the delivery of about 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium,
and even accepting a complete cessation of enrichment as part of a joint mechanism proposed as one solution.
However, the official emphasized that initiating talks requires the withdrawal of American military assets from around Iran, confirming that the ball is now in the American president’s court.
Meanwhile, the Tasnim and Fars news agencies withdrew a report confirming that Iranian president Masoud Bzshkyan had directed the start of talks with the United States regarding the nuclear program, and earlier the agencies reported from a governmental source that the talks would address the nuclear file.
Directives to start negotiations
The Iranian "Fars" agency, affiliated with the "Revolutionary Guard," earlier today mentioned that President Iranian Masoud Bzshkyan issued directives to begin the path of nuclear negotiations, indicating an official move to explore the possibility of entering talks with the United States confined to the nuclear file.
The agency added that there is a possibility of reaching an understanding between Tehran and Washington to initiate negotiations in this framework.
In the same context, the "Tasnim" Iranian agency reported from an informed source confirming the possibility of starting negotiations between Iran and the United States in the coming days, involving senior officials from both sides.
The source stated that the time and place of the meeting have not yet been decided, likely indicating that these potential talks might be conducted at the level of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the American envoy Steve Witkoff.
The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ismail Baqai, said today, Monday, that Tehran is studying the details of various diplomatic paths to address tensions with the United States, adding that Iran hopes to achieve results in the coming days.
Baqai said, "Regional countries are mediators in the exchanged messages. Messages have been exchanged about different points, and we are currently deciding and studying the details of each diplomatic pathway hoping to achieve results in the coming days." He added, "This relates to the pathway and framework (of the talks)."
Responding to a question about Trump's statement regarding his deadline set for Iran, during a press conference, Baqai said, "Iran always acts with integrity and seriousness in diplomatic processes, but it never accepts ultimatums. Therefore, this claim cannot be confirmed."
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed the importance of building trust to conduct negotiations with the United States amid rising tensions. Araghchi told the American network "CNN": "Unfortunately, we have lost our trust in the United States as a partner in negotiations."
Araghchi added, in response to a question about how to start a meaningful negotiation process: "We need to overcome this lack of trust."
Signs of progress towards conducting negotiations between Washington and Tehran appeared over the weekend.
Araghchi informed "CNN" that "some friendly countries in the region" had been "trying to build trust and pave the ground for meaningful negotiations, and we are working with them and exchanging messages." Araghchi described these talks as "fruitful."
U.S. President Donald Trump also told reporters over the weekend that Iran "is talking to us, they are speaking to us seriously."
