PNN – American media outlets, claiming that Iranian officials were surprised by the US President’s remarks last night, speculated that his envoy to the Middle East would play a role in next week’s negotiations.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, Donald Trump claimed last night, while meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, that: We are in direct talks with Iran.
He continued: We are in direct talks with Iran. A very large meeting will be held on Saturday, and this meeting will be held directly and at a high level.
The US President claimed: Some say that the negotiations will be through intermediaries and with the participation of other countries. No, we are in direct contact with them. Maybe we can reach an agreement that will be a very good deal for Iran.
Trump stated: I hope these talks are successful. In my opinion, the success of these talks will be in Iran’s interest. We hope that happens.
Meanwhile, CNN reported today, citing an informed source, that American officials are expected to discuss the nuclear deal directly with Iranian officials on Saturday at a meeting hosted by Oman.
However, the official did not know the level of the talks or the participants. CNN speculated that Steve Whittaker, Trump’s Middle East envoy, was in charge of the Iran file.
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Whittaker recently said that Trump is trying to prevent armed conflict by building trust with Tehran.
In an interview with Tucker Carlson, the ousted Fox News host, he said that Trump’s recent letter to the Iranian government was not intended to be a threat.
Whittaker claimed that US talks with Iran were continuing through “informal communications, through multiple countries and multiple channels.”
He expressed hope that he or another official from the Trump administration would travel to Tehran to hold talks.
The American website Axios had previously claimed that Trump’s letter included a two-month deadline for a new nuclear deal.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post newspaper, citing an informed source, claimed that Iranian officials were surprised by Donald Trump’s statements last night.
The Democratic-leaning newspaper reported that Trump did not provide details of the talks he said were underway, limiting himself to the “high” level of Saturday’s meeting. National Security Council spokesman James Hoyt also referred requests for more information about the upcoming talks to “the president’s comments.”
A senior White House official, who asked not to be named, said: Either you believe the Iranians or President Trump.
Hours after Trump’s statements and his emphasis on direct negotiations with Iran were published, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, wrote on the X Network: Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect talks at the level of high officials.