U.S. and Iran to meet for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program : NPR
The United States and Iran will meet later this week in Türkiye to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The negotiations come after President Trump considered military strikes against Iran.
TO MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
American special envoy Steve Witkoff is due to reopen negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program this week.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Talks in Türkiye are expected to include U.S. allies in the region, including Turkey and Qatar, who are trying to ease tensions. The proposed meeting comes as President Trump considers military strikes against Iran.
MARTÍNEZ: NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam has been following all of this. Jackie, so we’ve heard about the buildup of U.S. naval and air defense capabilities in this region, and now about this Witkoff meeting with Iranian officials. What has changed?
JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: Well, the Middle East powers – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and others, as well as Turkey – have made real efforts to try to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Iran has warned that if the United States launches an attack, it could result in a regional war. And these countries are very business oriented and they need calm and stability to pursue some of their major economic development projects in their countries. And a regional war won’t help, which is why they pressured Trump to try to find a diplomatic way forward. They also meet with Iranian leaders. So there’s a lot of travel from key players, and special envoy Witkoff is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv today.
MARTÍNEZ: Okay. So for the meeting in Türkiye, tell us who Witkoff will meet and what they will discuss.
NORTHAM: Well, one of the people should be Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and he met with Witkoff several times last year. He traveled extensively in the region and conducted interviews, during which he made clear that Iran would be willing to talk, but that it is not just the United States that dictates terms. Overnight, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on social media that he had asked Araghchi to continue fair and equitable negotiations, provided a suitable environment exists. These are his words. The United States wants Iran to abandon its nuclear enrichment program and its support for proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and to limit its ballistic missile arsenal. And all three are long-standing elements of Iranian power in the region.
I spoke with Dana Stroul. And she’s a Middle East specialist at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and she doesn’t think the regime in Tehran is making deals. Here it is.
DANA STROUL: What negotiations could do is buy more time to continue talking. Iranians are pragmatic. They will try to appear willing to make concessions, but this is not really significant in terms of sufficient reassurance.
NORTHAM: And A. Stroul says Iran comes to the negotiating table in a weakened position. Its proxy network was destroyed by Israel last year, as was its air defense. Its nuclear program is unclear, but it is certain that its ballistic missiles still pose a serious threat.
MARTÍNEZ: So, Jackie, if nothing’s happening, why are they having these discussions? I mean, just to be polite to each other?
NORTHAM: To follow the process. You know, President Trump said last weekend that he hoped they could reach an agreement. But, you know, he may be playing as much as the Iranians to buy time so that the United States can build up its military strength in the region. That would give Trump a lot of leverage – you know, influence to get the kind of behavioral change he wants from the Iranians – but also give regional allies confidence that the United States will support and protect them if there is a move toward war with Iran. And the other thing, A – you know, this meeting might not happen. A lot can happen between now and Friday.
MARTÍNEZ: Very good. It’s Jackie Northam from NPR. Jackie, thank you.
NORTHAM: Thank you very much.
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