Trump envoy Witkoff reveals more details of US negotiations with Iran prior to war
President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy on Thursday revealed details about the negotiations with Iran leading up to Trump's decision to attack almost four weeks ago.
Steve Witkoff spoke at a Trump's first Cabinet meeting since the war started, reading from prepared remarks to describe the talks he and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, had with Iranian negotiators prior to the start of the conflict.
Witkoff listed some of the demands the U.S. made to the Iranian government concerning its nuclear program, including "no chance" on weaponizing it, the decommissioning of the Fordow nuclear facility -- bombed by the U.S. last summer -- "no enrichment whatsoever," a ban on stockpiling nuclear material and turning over enriched uranium to the U.S.
He said the U.S. also demanded a cutback in Iran's ballistic missile inventory and in their range capability.
The Iranians responded, he said, by arguing they had the "inalienable right to enrich," and that they "would not give up diplomatically what the U.S. could not win militarily."
Witkoff said Iran again miscalculated the "total success" of Midnight Hammer, the strike last June on the country's nuclear facilities.
Addressing Trump, he said, "These are incontrovertible signs among among many other signs that their regime had not given their negotiating team authority to make a deal required by you."
"Throughout all of these negotiations, and we were repeatedly rebuffed on everything we asked for. I have no doubt that we exhausted all efforts on behalf of a peaceful resolution as you directed," he told Trump.
Trump argued that the U.S. went to war, for, among other reasons, to prevent Iran from ever having a nuclear weapon and said that it would not commit to doing that prior to the hostilities.
With regard to the current bargaining, Witkoff said U.S. negotiators have had "multiple reach-outs" from the Middle East region and others he said want play a role in ending the conflict peacefully.
Witkoff reiterated that the U.S. has presented a 15-point "action list' to the Iranians, via the Pakistani government as a mediator, that "resulted in strong and positive messaging in talks."
Iran responded to the Trump administration's 15-point plan Thursday through intermediaries overnight Thursday, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, quoting an informed source.
According to Tasnim, Iran’s reply outlines several conditions, including an end to attacks and assassinations, guarantees the conflict will not be repeated, and compensation for war-related damages.
It added that Tehran is seeking a comprehensive end to hostilities across all fronts, including groups aligned with Iran in the region.
Witkoff did not go into detail about the U.S. 15-point plan, contending Trump wanted confidentiality and to "not negotiate through the news media as others do." He said that Iran is looking for an "off ramp," following Trump's threat for escalated attacks.
"Your indications that you are willing to listen to peace proposals have been well received. You have instructed us that your preference is always peace, and that we should make that our priority," Witkoff said.
"We have delivered that message, sir, along with the 15-points for peace. Finally, we have told Iran one last thing: don't miscalculate again," he added.
