Trump Envoy and Iranian Foreign Minister to Meet on the 6th, at a Crossroads Between Confrontation and Talks

[The Financial News] As President Donald Trump of the United States of America (US) deploys large-scale military forces near the Islamic Republic of Iran and war clouds gather over the Middle East, a high-level meeting between Washington and Tehran is scheduled for the 6th (local time).
On the 2nd, US political outlet Axios, citing two sources, reported that "Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy of President Donald Trump, and Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, are to meet in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye, on the 6th to discuss the possibility of a nuclear agreement between the two countries."
If the meeting goes ahead as planned, it will be the first high-level talks since negotiations over Iran’s nuclear weapons program repeatedly collapsed and the so‐called "12-day war" between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran ended last June with a surprise US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Global attention is focused on whether this meeting can help ease rising tensions in the Middle East. However, it remains uncertain whether the two sides will be able to reach any agreement.
The Trump administration has been threatening military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran while pressing for a comprehensive deal. It wants not only Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but also its missile program and the activities of pro‐Iran proxy forces in the region, to be addressed all at once.
By contrast, Tehran insists that only the nuclear issue can be put on the negotiating table. After talks in Istanbul on the 30th of last month with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Araghchi said, "I want to make it clear that Iran’s defense capabilities and missiles cannot be the subject of negotiations."
Axios noted that the upcoming meeting is "the result of recent diplomatic mediation efforts by regional countries such as Türkiye, Egypt, and the State of Qatar." According to the report, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke again with Araghchi by phone that day to discuss the possibility of the meeting.
In connection with this, Fars News Agency reported, citing a source, that "the Iranian president has instructed that nuclear talks with the United States begin." Axios also reported that "in a speech, Araghchi stated that 'Iran is ready for diplomacy.'"
President Donald Trump, speaking with reporters on the 1st, likewise did not rule out the possibility of military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. At the same time, he stressed, "I hope we can reach an agreement with Iran," signaling that he is placing priority on dialogue first.
Even as these diplomatic moves unfold, the US government has repeatedly raised the possibility of military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, maintaining pressure on Tehran.
United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaking to reporters while on a trip to Florida, said, "Iran will not possess nuclear weapons capability. So either they negotiate on that issue, or we will have other options—military action. That is why the Department of Defense exists."
Asked about the possibility of military operations, Hegseth added, "The president does not want to go down that path, and neither do I, but our mission is to be prepared. We are fully prepared," stressing, "We will be watching. Now it is up to Iran."
Ahead of the meeting on the 6th, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel. On the 3rd, he is scheduled to meet Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, and Eyal Zamir, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who recently visited Washington, D.C.
Axios reported that "in Washington, D.C., IDF Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir met with General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, and shared Israel’s defensive and offensive plans in the event of a war with Iran."
whywani@fnnews.com Reporter Hong Chae-wan Reporter