Plans for high-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran are on the verge of collapsing as officials disagree over the meeting’s location and agenda.
The U.S. told Iran on Wednesday that it would not agree to Tehran’s demands to change the location and format, Axios reported.
The two countries were set to meet on Friday in Istanbul amid escalating tensions as the U.S. has increased its military presence in the Middle East. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military action if Iran does not come to the table.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were slated to participate.
But on Tuesday, the Iranians said that they wanted the meeting to take place in Oman in a bilateral format. The request would ensure that the discussions were focused only on nuclear issues.
But U.S. officials decided to reject the request on Wednesday, two U.S. officials told Axios.
“We told them it is this or nothing, and they said, ‘Okay, then nothing,’” one senior U.S. official said.
The official said that if Iran agreed to return to the original format for the meeting, the U.S. would be willing to come to the table this week or next.
On Tuesday, Trump indicated that the plans for talks were still being negotiated while speaking to reporters at the White House.
“They had a chance to do something a while ago, and it didn’t work out, and we did ‘Midnight Hammer,’” Trump said, referring to the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. “I don’t think they want that happening again.”
In an interview with Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said the president was pursuing talks, but she did not rule out force.
“Of course, the president has always a range of options on the table, and that includes the use of military force,” she said, and referred to the June strikes that the “Iranians know that better than anyone.”
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that if the Iranians want to meet, the U.S. is ready.
“They’ve expressed an interest in meeting and talking. If they change their mind, we’re fine with that too,” he said.
Rubio said the talks would have to also include the range of Iran’s missiles, not just its nuclear program.
“I think in order for talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles,” Rubio said.
However, A senior Iranian official said talks of its missiles was “off the table,” according to Reuters.
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