Iran foreign minister to hold 'indirect' talks with US envoy: media

TEHRAN: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will hold talks through a mediator with the top US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Iranian news agency Tasnim said on Tuesday.

Confirmation of Araghchi’s attendance came after the minister wrote on X that Iran and the United States would hold “indirect high-level” talks in Oman on Saturday, with US President Donald Trump announcing talks with Tehran.

On March 7, Trump said he had written to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for negotiations and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.

US news website Axios, citing a US official and other sources, reported that the letter included a “two-month deadline for reaching a new nuclear deal.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that a recent letter sent by US President Donald Trump calling for new nuclear talks was “actually more of a threat”, and that Tehran would respond soon.

Araghchi told Iranian state television that while the letter purported to offer up opportunities, it was “actually more of a threat”, adding that Iran was now studying its contents and would respond “in the coming days”.

Iran’s foreign ministry said it will conduct a “thorough assessment” before responding to the letter which was delivered by a senior United Arab Emirates diplomat on March 12.

Araghchi said the response “will be sent through the appropriate channels,” without elaborating.