The high-stakes negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program hinge on two men with vastly different backgrounds. On the American side is billionaire real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, who has been tapped by President Donald Trump to restrict Iran’s atomic program. The Bronx-born developer has also handled sensitive talks on Russia’s war on Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.
Leading the Iranian delegation is Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a 62-year-old veteran of the bloody Iran-Iraq war. A close ally of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Araghchi has carefully navigated the complex web of hard-liners and reformists within Iran’s theocracy. His low-key style contrasts with that of his predecessor, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who secured the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Araghchi’s own biography is marked by service in the Revolutionary Guard during the war against Iraq and a stint as Iran’s ambassador to Japan under Ahmadinejad. He received praise from US diplomats for his role in the 2015 nuclear talks, which he described as “one of the most important documents in Iran’s history.”
The negotiations have reached a critical juncture, with a second round set to take place on Saturday in Rome. The outcome hangs in the balance, with both sides risking military action or an atomic arms race if no agreement is reached. Witkoff has offered 3.67% enrichment as a potential compromise, but Iran long insists it should have access to enrichment.
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Source: https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-negotiators-witkoff-araghchi-5aeb1f0bec7a77637410800a2fd65d99