US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington is “in negotiations right now” with Iran, referring to diplomatic efforts in the ongoing war. Speaking at the White House, Trump said several senior officials were participating in the negotiations. “We have a number of people doing that,” Trump said. “And the other side, I can tell you, they want to make an agreement.”
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Who are all the participants in the negotiations?
According to Trump, the following officials are participating in the negotiations with Tehran:
- Steve Witkoff (US Special Envoy to the Middle East)
- Jared Kushner (Donald Trump’s son-in-law)
- Marco Rubio (United States Secretary of State)
J.D. Vance (Vice President)- Donald Trump (President)
“J.D. (Vance) is involved. Marco is involved. Jared Kushner is involved… Steve Witkoff is involved, I’m involved… If Iran had a nuclear weapon, they would have used it. If I hadn’t ended the terrible Iran nuclear deal with Barack Hussein Obama in my first administration, they would have had a nuclear weapon 3 or 4 years ago.”
“They were going to use it,” Trump said. “We destroyed their nuclear capabilities.”
His statements came hours after he said that Iran wants to reach an agreement to end the war, which has entered its fourth week. Trump also claimed that recent talks between US envoys and Iranian officials were “very good” and “productive.”Earlier, Trump said in a post on the Truth Social website that he postponed planned strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure in Iran for five days to allow room for negotiations.
He added that the discussions that took place over the weekend between Kushner and Witkoff with Iranian officials, whose names he did not mention, were positive.Click here for live war updates The US President also indicated that there are “key points of agreement” between the two sides and expressed his optimism about reaching a possible agreement. He said Iran must give up its stockpile of enriched uranium as part of any agreement, and added that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened soon if the talks succeed.Meanwhile, Trump maintained a strong stance, claiming that “this war has been won” and that US-Israeli actions had weakened Iran’s leadership and nuclear capabilities.
Iranian response and denial
But Iranian officials strongly denied any negotiations with the United States.Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said that “no negotiations were conducted with the United States,” and accused Washington of spreading “fake news” to influence global financial and oil markets.Iran also rejected Trump’s claims about high-level contacts with the White House, describing them as an attempt to manipulate markets amid rising oil prices due to regional tensions.
With whom does Iran want to negotiate?
Iran has conveyed through back channels that it would prefer to deal with Vice President J.D. Vance rather than US envoy Steve Witkoff or Jared Kushner.Vance is seen as more inclined toward ending the conflict. “The perception is that Vance will be determined to end the conflict,” CNN reported, citing a source.But the White House rejected these allegations and stressed that President Donald Trump alone decides who will negotiate on behalf of the United States.“Only President Trump and President Trump determine who negotiates on behalf of the United States. As the President mentioned today, Vice President Vance, Secretary Rubio, Special Envoy Witkoff, and Mr. Kushner will all participate,” said Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt.A White House official also denied reports of Iran’s preferences, calling them a “coordinated foreign propaganda campaign aimed at undermining the president,” CNN reported.
Why does Iran want J.D. Vance to participate in the talks?
Tehran’s preference for J.D. Vance stems from mistrust following previous failed negotiations and subsequent military action.According to CNN, Iran believes that discussions involving Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will not be fruitful due to past experiences.
The collapse of previous talks, and the subsequent US and Israeli strikes, created a “trust deficit.”“The perception is that Vance will be determined to end the conflict,” one source said, explaining this view.Iranian officials also see Vance as more sympathetic to ending the war than other senior US officials, including Witkoff, Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. His relatively cautious stance on military intervention has helped shape this perception, according to the New York Post.At the same time, Iran has indicated that it does not wish to re-engage with the previous negotiating team.Despite this preference, sources acknowledge that Iran may not ultimately have much choice over who represents the United States. One source stressed, “The Iranians will have to deal with the people the administration decides to send, but that does not mean they have no preference.”However, the White House stressed that the decision rests with President Donald Trump alone, and not with Tehran.
What’s next?
A possible meeting between US and Iranian officials later this week, including in Islamabad, is still under consideration, although uncertainty remains as to whether it will take place.The negotiations come amid a broader crisis in the Middle East, with tensions impacting global oil markets, especially due to unrest in the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for about 20% of global crude oil supplies.
