Iran and US to resume nuclear talks in Istanbul on Friday

TEHRAN: Iran and the United States will resume nuclear talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday.

According to the media, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will meet in Istanbul, while US President Donald Trump has warned of “bad consequences” if a deal is not reached.

The talks are taking place at a time when the US has increased its naval power near Iran. Trump says that large US warships are moving towards Iran, but at the same time talks are also ongoing. According to him, if a solution is found, it will be better, otherwise the situation could worsen.

According to sources, Washington has made three demands for the resumption of talks: zeroing out uranium enrichment in Iran, sanctions on its ballistic missile program and ending support for allied groups in the region. Iran has been calling these demands against its sovereignty, but Iranian officials have indicated that flexibility on enrichment can be shown, provided that sanctions are lifted.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says time is of the essence for Tehran and it wants the lifting of unfair sanctions. On the other hand, regional countries such as Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt will attend the Istanbul meeting to reduce tensions.

According to analysts, recent developments in the region, the US naval presence and satellite images of Iran’s nuclear sites have increased the pressure. The UN nuclear watchdog is also demanding clarification from Iran on its enriched uranium stockpile.