As reports circulate about a possible meeting between Iran’s foreign minister and the US president’s special envoy, France’s foreign minister has said that Europe will take part in the discussions “in one way or another.”
Tehran – IranView24
Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s minister for Europe and foreign affairs, said in an interview with the French television channel France 2, quoted on Tuesday by Le Figaro, that Europe—particularly France, the United Kingdom, and Germany—has been at the forefront of negotiations with Iran over the past decade and will continue to play a key role in any future diplomatic process.
Referring to a potential meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, Barrot stressed that if Iran were to make a fundamental shift in its position at the appropriate time and issues such as the lifting of sanctions or restrictions were to be addressed, this process would have to go “through Europe.”
Barrot added that France is in close contact with countries acting as intermediaries between Tehran and Washington and supports their mediation efforts. He also pointed to a number of domestic preconditions inside Iran and said that, following these steps, issues related to nuclear and missile programs, as well as what he described as Iran’s regional activities, would need to be discussed.
Meanwhile, the news website Axios, citing two informed sources, reported that Steve Witkoff, the White House envoy, and Seyed Abbas Araqchi are expected to meet in Istanbul on Friday to discuss the possibility of a nuclear agreement.
According to the report, if the meeting takes place, it would mark the first direct engagement between senior Iranian and US officials since the collapse of previous talks and the past military tensions.
At the same time, The Washington Post reported that the participation of several Arab countries and allies of both Iran and the United States has also been discussed.
Two regional officials involved in de-escalation efforts said the meeting was planned following intensive diplomatic initiatives by Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, alongside other Middle Eastern actors, aimed at reducing tensions between Tehran and Washington.
According to these sources, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt—along with counterparts from Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan—may attend the meeting. The presence of Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, alongside Witkoff was also mentioned in the reports.
A US official, however, cautioned that significant work remains before the Istanbul meeting can be finalized. On the Iranian side, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei did not confirm the meeting but said that Tehran is reviewing the framework for potential talks.
Regional sources added that Arab and Turkish partners of Washington are seeking to keep the initial focus of the negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, while later exploring creative ways to address the US’s non-nuclear demands.
