This combination of pictures shows US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on the left, and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the right — EVELYN HOCKSTEIN, Amer HILABI
Iran has demanded changes to the venue and format for negotiations with the U.S. this Friday, two sources with knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: If the new demands scupper Friday’s talks, they risk pushing President Trump off the diplomatic path and toward the military option at a time when he has already assembled enormous firepower in the Gulf.
The sources said the Iranians are walking back from understandings that were reached in recent days after several countries were already invited to participate in the talks.
- The Iranians want to move the talks from Istanbul to Oman.
- They also now want to hold them in a bilateral format, only with the U.S., rather than with several Arab and Muslim countries attending as observers.
Meanwhile, the Iranian military took what a U.S. official described as two “very aggressive” actions toward U.S. vessels in a span of six hours.
- In the first incident, Revolutionary Guards fast gunboats attempted to board a U.S.-flagged commercial ship near the straight of Hormuz.
- The Iranian boats scattered before a U.S. Navy destroyer arrived to escort the ship with support from the Air Force. No shots were fired.
- In the second incident, an Iranian drone with “unclear intent” flew near the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier and was shot down by an F-35 fighter jet, CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said.
Friction point: A U.S. official described both actions as “very aggressive” and noted they came just six hours apart.
- In the CENTCOM statement, Hawkins said: “Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated. Iran’s unnecessary aggression near U.S. forces, regional partners and commercial vessels increases risks of collision, miscalculation, and regional destabilization.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and White House envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to lead the two negotiating teams.
- Araghchi held calls on Tuesday with his Omani and Turkish counterparts, and with the prime minister of Qatar.
Meanwhile, Witkoff met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Israeli officials say the meeting focused on Iran, and Netanyahu brought along Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Mossad Director David Barnea, and military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder.
AXIOS
