Iran is reportedly open to holding direct talks with U.S. President Donald Trump to address the escalating conflict with Israel, according to a report by The New York Times on Wednesday.
The newspaper cited a senior Iranian official who said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would be willing to meet with the U.S. president to explore the possibility of negotiating a ceasefire.
The development comes amid intensifying hostilities between Iran and Israel, sparking fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East and prompting renewed international calls for de-escalation.
President Trump, who has long pushed for stricter controls on Iran’s nuclear programme, said on Monday that any potential talks must also address Tehran’s nuclear activities. He noted that U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance could be sent to engage with Iranian officials if conditions for dialogue improve.
While there has been no formal confirmation from Tehran, the reported openness to direct engagement with Washington signals a possible shift in Iran’s diplomatic posture, despite decades of strained relations between the two countries.
It remains unclear whether these early signals will lead to concrete negotiations, but both sides appear to be under increasing pressure to pursue dialogue as regional tensions mount.
