US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that any talks with Iran, in order to. be "meaningful," must include a discussion US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that any talks with Iran, in order to. be "meaningful," must include a discussion of the ballistic missile issue.
Rubio added that if the Iranians expressed a desire to hold a meeting on Friday, the United States was "ready for that," noting that Washington was open to dialogue under clear conditions.
The US Secretary of State explained that the venue for the talks with Iran is still under discussion, without disclosing further details regarding the agenda or the level of representation should the meeting take place.
Turkey's announcement of its readiness to host US-Iranian negotiations comes at a time of delicate diplomatic activity between Washington and Tehran, amid escalating regional tensions and disagreements over the format, location, and agenda of the talks. While Istanbul had been considered a potential venue, Western reports indicated that Iran had requested the negotiations be moved to Oman and limited to a bilateral format with the United States, with the aim of focusing exclusively on the nuclear issue and excluding other matters such as the ballistic missile program and Tehran's regional role.
In this context, Ankara is attempting to present itself as a facilitator, not a mediator, drawing on its previous experience hosting international talks without imposing roles or conditions on either side. This coincides with US warnings that the failure of the diplomatic track could lead to more escalatory options, and with growing Israeli concern that the negotiations might result in a partial agreement that fails to address what Tel Aviv considers the "root of the threat." Amid these complex calculations, the anticipated negotiations appear to be a crucial test of whether they can reduce tensions between Washington and Tehran or whether the crisis will escalate into a more dangerous phase.
