U.S. tells Iran it is ready to meet and negotiate a deal
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Iranian women walk past an anti-U.S. billboard at Enqelab Square in Tehran on Jan. 26, 2026. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP
The Trump administration has told Iran through multiple channels that it's open to meeting to negotiate a deal, a senior U.S. official tells Axios.
Why it matters: The diplomatic push comes as Trump has ordered a massive military buildup in the Gulf, raising the stakes of whether talks can avert a strike on Iran and a wider regional war.
Driving the news: Turkey, Egypt and Qatar are working to organize a meeting between White House envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Iranian officials in Ankara later this week, two regional sources tell Axios.
- "It is moving. We are doing our best," an official from one of the countries tells Axios.
- A second U.S. official confirmed a meeting between the U.S. and Iran could take place this week in Turkey.
- The three countries that worked with the Trump administration on the Gaza ceasefire deal want U.S.–Iran negotiations to prevent a regional war.
- White House officials say Trump hasn't made a final decision on a strike against Iran and remains open to a diplomatic solution.
- U.S. officials say President Trump's recent comments about negotiations aren't a bluff, but the U.S. doesn't know if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will authorize his diplomats to cut a deal that will be acceptable to the U.S.
Behind the scenes: Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have been talking to both sides and coordinating their efforts, sources say.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CNN on Sunday that "friendly countries" are trying to build confidence between the U.S. and Iran, calling these efforts "fruitful."
- "I see the possibility of another talk if the U.S. negotiations team follows what President Trump said: to come to a fair and equitable deal to ensure there are no nuclear weapons," he said.
- The Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, visited Tehran on Saturday and met Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a close confidant of Khamenei.
- Shortly after the meeting Larijani wrote on X that a "formation of a framework for negotiations is progressing."
- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke on the phone Saturday with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to agree to a meeting with Trump officials.
- A day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted Iran's foreign minister and discussed the possible venue and agenda for a potential meeting with White House officials.
What they are saying: "I hope they negotiate something that is acceptable. … They can negotiate a deal that would be satisfactory, no nuclear weapons. etc. They should do that. I don't know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Saturday night.
The other side: In a speech Sunday in Tehran, Khamenei struck a hard line and claimed the U.S. wants to "devour" Iran and take over its oil, gas and minerals.
- "The Americans should know if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," the Iranian supreme leader said.
- He made no mention of negotiations.
The latest: When asked about Khamenei's comment on Sunday, Trump said the U.S. has "the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there."
- "Hopefully we'll make a deal. If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether or not he was right," he said.
State of play: IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Washington on Friday and Saturday for talks with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine about a possible U.S. strike against Iran.
- U.S. and Israeli officials say the low-profile visit was aimed at the two side briefing each other on defensive and offensive plans in the event of a war with Iran.
