US President Donald Trump; former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis -Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
Steve Witkoff reportedly discussed possible negotiations with Iran, as US sets terms for talks, demanding an end to use of live firm on protesters and a release of all jailed demonstrators.
By World Israel News Staff
The Trump administration has drafted a list of demands on Iran as the administration mulls entering into negotiations with the Islamic Republic in a bid to avoid a new military confrontation between the two countries, a diplomatic source has claimed.
According to a report published by Israel Hayom on Tuesday, the diplomatic source claimed that over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with White House special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, broaching the idea of renewing talks between Washington and Tehran.
A day earlier, Axios made a similar claim, citing unnamed sources who said Witkoff and Araghchi had discussed the possibility of entering into negotiations aimed at de-escalating tensions between the US and Iran.
The source cited by the Israel Hayom report also said that the White House has drawn up preconditions for talks, and that the US is expected to issue a demand to Iran to comply with all of America’s terms before negotiations begin.
The terms laid out by the diplomatic source include a wide range of issues, spanning the current anti-regime protests, Iran’s nuclear and ballistic programs, and Tehran’s patronage of terrorism.
Among other things, the Trump administration is expected to demand that before negotiations begin, Iran commit to ending the use of live ammunition against protesters and to freeing the over 10,000 demonstrators who have been taken into custody over the past two weeks.
Furthermore, Iran must demonstrate an immediate willingness to surrender its stockpile of enriched uranium, halt any uranium enrichment operations, and freeze its ballistic missile program.
In addition, the source claimed, Iran will be asked to end its support for terrorist proxy groups including Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and the Yemenite Houthis.
In the interim, President Trump is said to be considering a wide range of options against Iran, ranging from a comprehensive air campaign targeting the regime’s leadership, Iran’s military, and the country’s nuclear program, to a more limited series of airstrikes.
The US could also initially limit itself to economic pressure, after Trump imposed a 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran, or expand to cyberattacks on Iran’s digital infrastructure.
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