Iranian media reported Monday that talks between the United States and Iran could begin in the coming days, as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high and Iran issues fresh warnings to US allies in the Gulf.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet soon with Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. According to the report, a “well-informed source” confirmed that talks involving senior officials from both countries would begin shortly. The Fars news agency added that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered preparations for talks with the Americans on Iran’s nuclear program, likely to be held in Turkey.
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Steve Witkoff and Abbas Ara ghchi
(Photo: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool, Amer HILABI AFP, CameraObscura82 shutterstock, Smolkov Vladislav shutterstock)
At the same time, Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday. During his visit to Jerusalem, Witkoff will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli security officials. While the discussions are expected to focus primarily on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Iran and the question of a possible strike on the Islamic Republic are also expected to feature prominently.
Against the backdrop of the rising tensions, Iran has sent strong signals to US allies in the Middle East that it is prepared to respond forcefully to any attack on its territory — in a far deadlier manner than its restrained response against a US base in Qatar following last year’s “Midnight Hammer” operation. The Washington Post reported that despite damage to Iran’s missile program during its conflict with Israel, Tehran still retains significant firepower capable of inflicting heavy damage on US assets and regional allies.
Trump responded Sunday night to warnings from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who said a US attack on the ayatollah regime would ignite a regional war. “Why wouldn’t he say that? Of course he’d say that,” Trump told reporters. “We have the biggest, strongest ships there now, very close, within days,” he said, suggesting US forces could be ready to strike within a short timeframe. “I hope we make a deal. If we don’t, we’ll see if he’s right or not.”
Two Western officials familiar with the matter told the Washington Post that although Iran’s missile infrastructure was damaged in the June fighting, key elements of the program were not destroyed and some have since been restored. Amir Mousavi, a former Iranian diplomat now based in Iraq, told the paper that Iran has doubled missile production since the 12-day war and repositioned launchers in mountainous areas that are difficult to target.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran is reviewing several diplomatic processes and expects developments in the coming days. Araghchi has also held consultations with counterparts in Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Baghaei denied Trump’s claim that Washington had issued an ultimatum to Tehran to reach a deal. “Iran always acts fairly and seriously in diplomatic processes. We do not accept ultimatums,” he said.
Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi issued further threats, saying Iran’s forces are fully prepared for confrontation. “Our revenge is open-ended. Any mistake by the enemy will be met with an immediate response,” he said, warning that in the event of an attack, “no American will be safe” and that the region would be set ablaze.
Meanwhile, Iran summoned European ambassadors after the European Union designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. Tehran warned it is considering countermeasures, while stressing that joint naval exercises with China and Russia would proceed as planned.
EU foreign ministers agreed last week to label the IRGC a terrorist organization amid its brutal crackdown on mass protests in Iran, during which thousands of demonstrators are believed to have been killed. The move aligns the EU with the United States, Canada and Australia, which have already taken similar steps.