Witkoff announces indirect talks between the United States and Iran on the sidelines of the United Nations
Quick Look
Steve Witkoff, special envoy of US President Donald Trump, announced that the US and Iranian delegations held talks through mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings, and Trump described the meeting as 'very good', with reference to another meeting scheduled soon.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
These talks come in light of ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran over the nuclear file and regional influence, with a special focus on the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is a strategic oil corridor.
(CNN) - Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for peace missions, announced on Wednesday that the American and Iranian delegations held talks through mediators on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings on Tuesday.
Witkoff wrote in a post on the “X” platform: “We held lengthy talks with the Iranian delegation through mediators who moved between the two sides throughout the day, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly*, and added: “We successfully completed a round of discussions that we hope will be constructive and promising, and the mediators will continue their work.”
Earlier, while speaking to the press, Trump said that members of his administration met with the Iranian delegation for about 3 hours in what he described - vaguely - as a “very good meeting.”
When asked whether Witkoff, as well as Jared Kushner, participated in the meeting, the US President did not deny their participation, and added: “There is another meeting scheduled in the very near future*, before asking whether Witkoff and Kushner wanted to say anything*.
As he sat on the couch next to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Besent, Witkoff's eyes widened and he looked in front of him in an awkward position, giving only a vague answer when asked how he felt after the meeting. “I feel very good right now,” he said. “It is a great honor to work for President Trump.”
Separately, the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation reported earlier that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Witkoff to discuss Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz*.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Another meeting between the American and Iranian delegations will be held in the near future
Likely · Within weeks
Mediators will continue to relay messages between the two sides
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What issues did the two delegations discuss through mediators?
- Will these talks lead to a formal agreement on the Strait of Hormuz or the nuclear file?
- What is the exact date of the next meeting mentioned by Trump?
