Communication channels between Iran and the United States have been reopened, according to reports, as regional tensions remain high following recent strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, an envoy for President Donald Trump, have reportedly re-established a direct line of communication, Axios reported Monday, citing an American official and an informed source. Yet, Araghchi stated on X that his last conversation with Witkoff occurred before the outbreak of hostilities.
While the extent of the messages exchanged between Witkoff and Araghchi remains unclear, this marks the first known direct contact between representatives from Iran and the U.S. Since the conflict began over two weeks ago.
Sources indicate Araghchi sent a message to Witkoff focused on ending the conflict. Meanwhile, Drop Site News reported that Witkoff was reaching out to Araghchi, citing Iranian officials who claimed the foreign minister was ignoring the envoy’s messages. An American source told Axios that Araghchi initiated the communication, adding that the U.S. Is not currently negotiating with Iran. No details regarding the number of messages sent or their specific content have been disclosed.
Araghchi refuted claims of recent communication with Witkoff in a post on X. “My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was before his employer decided to end diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran. Any claim to the contrary appears to be aimed solely at misleading oil traders and the public,” he wrote.
President Trump stated that Iran had contacted the U.S., but expressed uncertainty about the authority of the Iranian officials involved to reach an agreement. “They want to make a deal. They’re talking to our people… we have people who want to deal, but we have no idea who they are,” Trump reportedly told reporters, according to Axios. The U.S. President similarly noted uncertainty surrounding who holds decision-making power in Iran, citing the deaths of several high-ranking officials and the lack of public appearances by the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whom Trump suggested may be deceased.
A senior U.S. Official dismissed Iranian demands for compensation as part of a peace deal, but stated that Trump is open to an agreement that would allow Iran to “engage with the rest of the world and profit from its oil.”
The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, igniting a regional conflict. In response, Tehran and its allies began attacking Israel, U.S. Military installations in the Middle East, and civilian targets in neighboring Arab countries with drones, ballistic missiles, and rockets. Ali Khamenei was among those killed during the first day of the Israeli-American strikes. His 56-year-old son, Mojtaba, succeeded him as the new Supreme Leader on March 8, after being elected by the 88-member Assembly of Experts.
