U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Set for Istanbul as Trump Warns ‘Bad Things’ If No Deal Is Reached

Nuclear talks between the United States and Iran are expected to take place in Istanbul on Friday as President Trump warned that “bad things” would happen if an agreement isn’t reached. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday, according to several reports in American and Israeli media. The New York Times reported that Mr. Araghchi and Mr. Witkoff are currently communicating directly through text messages ahead of the meeting. High level officials from UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also expected to attend the meeting which comes as Mr. Trump reiterated his threats against the regime in Tehran. “We have ships heading to Iran right now, big ones — the biggest and the best — and we have talks going on with Iran and we’ll see how it all works out,” Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. “If we can work something out, that would be great and if we can’t, probably bad things would happen. I’d like to see a deal negotiated. I don’t know that that’s going to happen,” he added.President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday: “I have instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists — one free from threats and unreasonable expectations — to pursue fair and equitable negotiations, guided by the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency.”Axios cited an American official saying that the meeting in Istanbul will focus on trying to put together “a package deal” that prevents war. Iran has repeatedly refused to halt uranium enrichment or dismantle its ballistic missile program, but The New York Times reported that Tehran is now willing to shut down or suspend its nuclear program, citing two Iranian officials. Reuters meanwhile reported that Iran’s leadership is worried that an American military attack could drive protestors back on the streets, citing six current and former officials.“An attack combined with demonstrations by angry people could lead to a collapse (of the ruling system). That is the main concern among the top officials and that is what our enemies want,” one official was quoted by Reuters saying. Mr. Witkoff is due to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, and Mossad chief, David Barnea. Mr. Netanyahu has previously demanded that Iran dismantle both its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Anwar Gargash, senior United Arab Emirates official, said on Tuesday that “Iran today needs to reach a deal.”“I think that the region has gone through various calamitous confrontations. I don’t think we need another one, but I would like to see direct Iranian-American negotiations leading to understandings that we don’t have these issues every other day,” he said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.Iran has been in marathon talks with Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks in an attempt to de-escalate the situation in light of Mr. Trump’s repeated warnings about a military attack. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier finally arrived in the Middle East, accompanied by at least three destroyers, causing widespread speculation in recent days that an American attack on Iran is underway.

U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Set for Istanbul as Trump Warns ‘Bad Things’ If No Deal Is Reached

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