The meeting comes at a critical moment of heightened tension between Washington and Tehran, following recent military threats and rejected preconditions.
Before the summit in Turkey, U.S. Envoy Witkoff is set to visit Israel today. He is expected to hold strategic discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Zamir regarding the upcoming negotiations.
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U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed at the White House that talks are currently in progress. While expressing hope for a successful agreement, President Trump warned that failure to reach a deal would result in “severe consequences.” He reiterated that a massive U.S. naval fleet is currently deploying toward Iran, issuing a renewed military threat to back the diplomatic push.
The renewed diplomatic effort involves key regional players, with representatives from Saudi Arabia and Egypt also expected to attend the talks in Istanbul.