US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington is “talking right now” with Iran, a sign of diplomatic efforts in the ongoing war. Speaking at the White House, Trump said that many top officials are involved in the talks. “We have a number of people who are doing that. And the other side, I can tell you, they would like to make a deal,” Trump said.
Who is involved in the conversation?
According to Trump, the following officials are involved in talks with Tehran:
- Steve Witkoff (United States Special Envoy to the Middle East)
- Jared Kushner (son-in-law of Donald Trump)
- Marco Rubio (United States Secretary of State)
JD Vance (Vice President)- Donald Trump (President)
Trump said, “JD (Vance) is included. Marco is included. Jared Kushner is included…Steve Witkoff is included, and I am included…If Iran had a nuclear weapon, they would have used it. If I had not in my first administration dismantled the terrible Barack Hussein Obama Iran nuclear deal, they would have had a nuclear weapon 3 or 4 years ago. They would have used it…We destroyed their nuclear capability.”His comments came hours after he said Iran wanted to reach an agreement to end the war, which has now entered its fourth week. Trump also claimed that recent talks between US envoys and Iranian officials were “very good” and “productive”.Earlier, in a Truth Social post, Trump said he had postponed planned attacks on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days to make room for negotiations.He said Kushner and Witkoff’s discussions with unnamed Iranian officials over the weekend were positive.Click here for live updates of the war The US President also suggested that there were “major points of agreement” between the two sides and expressed optimism about a potential deal. He said Iran would have to give up its enriched uranium reserves under any deal and said the Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen if talks were successful.At the same time, Trump maintained a tough stance, claiming that “this war has been won” and that US-Israeli actions had weakened Iran’s leadership and nuclear capabilities.
Iran’s response and denial
However, Iranian officials have strongly denied that any negotiations are taking place with the United States.Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said “there has been no negotiation with the US” and accused Washington of spreading “fake news” to influence global financial and oil markets.Iran also rejected Trump’s claims of high-level contacts with the White House, calling them an attempt to manipulate markets amid rising oil prices due to regional tensions.
Who does Iran want to talk to?
Iran has told through back channels that it prefers to negotiate with Vice President JD Vance rather than US envoys Steve Witkoff or Jared Kushner.Vance is seen as more willing to end the conflict. Citing a source, CNN reported, “The assumption is that Vance will intend to defuse the conflict.”However, the White House has rejected these claims and said that only President Donald Trump decides who will negotiate on behalf of the United States.Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt said, “President Trump, and only President Trump, determines who will negotiate on behalf of the United States. As the President said today, Vice President Vance, Secretary Rubio, Special Envoy Witkoff, and Mr. Kushner will all be included.”A White House official also dismissed reports about Iran’s priorities as a “coordinated foreign propaganda campaign to undermine the president,” CNN reported.
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Why does Iran want to talk to JD Vance?
Tehran’s preference for JD Vance stems from mistrust following first failed negotiations and subsequent military action.According to CNN, Iran believes that discussions between Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would not be useful due to past experiences. The failure of earlier talks and the subsequent US and Israeli attacks have created a “trust deficit”.Explaining this approach, one source said, “The assumption is that Vance will intend to defuse the conflict.”Iranian officials view Vance as more sympathetic to ending the war than other senior US officials, including Witkoff, Kushner and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to the New York Post, his relatively cautious stance on military intervention has shaped this perception.At the same time, Iran has indicated that it does not want to rejoin the earlier negotiating team.Despite this priority, sources acknowledge that Iran will ultimately have little choice over who will represent the United States. One source highlighted, “Who the administration decides to send is something the Iranians will have to deal with, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a preference.”However, the White House has reiterated that the decision rests entirely with President Donald Trump, not Tehran.
What next?
A possible meeting between US and Iranian officials, including in Islamabad, is being considered this weekend, although there remains uncertainty over whether it will take place.The talks come amid a wider crisis in the Middle East that is affecting global oil markets, particularly due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about 20% of the world’s crude oil supply.