White House affirms Iran’s nuclear discussions stay on course

Shafaq News- Washington

Talks between the United States and Iran remain on track despite Tehran’s request for changes to the meeting’s location, format, and scope, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt indicated on Wednesday.

At a press conference, Leavitt explained that she had just spoken with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who is heading the American delegation for the upcoming meeting with Iran, and noted that preparations for the discussions are still continuing.

Stressing that US President Donald Trump continues to prioritize diplomacy in dealing with Iran, she pointed out that his administration is not ruling out other options if diplomatic efforts fail.

Axios previously reported that Iran has requested moving the upcoming nuclear negotiations with the United States from Istanbul to Oman and holding the talks in a bilateral format. The report, citing two sources familiar with the matter, revealed that Tehran wants to limit the discussion to direct US-Iran talks rather than a broader multilateral setting that would include other regional countries.

Trump has repeatedly threatened military action, urging Iran to negotiate over its nuclear and missile programs. Iran, in turn, warned that any US strike, whether limited or broad, would be treated as an “all-out war.”

Read more: Washington holds back: Calculated pressure, not war, shapes US policy toward Iran