US President Donald Trump said he remains open to talks with Iran in the coming week, a day after he reportedly rejected a peace plan shared by Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reportedly held negotiations with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last Tuesday, with Qatar acting as a mediator.
In a typically Trumpian remark, the US president said, “I am always thinking about it,” when asked whether he would resume strikes on Iran. Trump has said he rejected the plan. However, Araghchi said he would not take Trump’s remarks as an official rejection, saying the US had not formally communicated its response to Tehran. Araghchi said mediators facilitating talks between Tehran and Washington had not officially conveyed a US rejection of the proposal.
Over the weekend, Qatari mediators shuttled between Iranian and US negotiators as they discussed changes to the proposed text, Axios reported.
Qatar could hold another round of separate meetings with the two sides as early as Monday, according to the report.
