Reports suggest that discussions have begun within the Trump administration regarding the possibility of restarting negotiations with Iran.
Key figures in these conversations include Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. According to sources cited by Axios on Saturday, they are actively exploring how to renew diplomatic efforts.
Egypt, Qatar, and the United Kingdom have been acting as intermediaries, relaying messages between the U.S. and Iran, as reported by the news outlet.
Meanwhile, Iran appears open to negotiations, but with specific conditions. These include a ceasefire, assurances that hostilities will not resume, and some form of compensation, the report indicates.
There is a potential for discussions about unfreezing Iranian assets, a U.S. official mentioned to Axios.
“They refer to it as reparations. We might consider it the return of frozen assets,” the official remarked. “There are numerous ways to phrase it to meet the political needs on both sides.”
The news comes one day after President Trump said he was considering “winding down” the war, as the war entered its fourth week Saturday.
“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the terrorist regime of Iran,” he wrote on Truth Social Friday.
Both sides were in the middle of talks around Iran’s nuclear program when the US and Israel suddenly launched devastating strikes on Feb. 28 that took out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and roughly 40 of Tehran’s top military commanders.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday that fully reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz would require a ceasefire and a guarantee not to strike Iran in the future.
US officials expect at least another two weeks of war, as they prepare for possible talks.
Part of the challenge in resuming talks is also the mystery around whether new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is really the one in charge, and what conditions his condsi in after being injured in the strike that killed his father.
