Trump envoy outlines demands on Iran

Tehran must drastically cut its missile and nuclear programs to reach a diplomatic agreement with the US, Steve Witkoff has said

The US prefers a diplomatic solution to ongoing tensions with Iran rather than military action, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has said, urging Tehran to scale down its missile and nuclear programs.

A wave of protests kicked off in Iran in late December. Initially prompted by soaring inflation and a rapid devaluation of the national currency, they swiftly grew political and violent, with hundreds left dead across the country. Tehran has blamed “terrorists” infiltrating the initially peaceful demonstrations, as well as meddling by the US and Israel.

In recent days, Trump has repeatedly threatened Tehran with military action and told protesters that “help is on its way.” Washington, however, still prefers a diplomatic solution, Witkoff told the Israeli-American Council conference in Florida on Thursday. 

“I hope there’s a diplomatic resolution. I really do,” he said.

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The special envoy outlined Washington’s demands on Tehran; namely that it scale down its nuclear and missile programs. Iran must “cut back on their inventory” of both fission material and missiles, as well as decease its support to foreign “proxies,” Witkoff said without elaborating. 

“If they want to come back to the league of nations, we can solve those four problems diplomatically, and then that would be a great resolution. The alternative is a bad one,” he asserted.

Iran has insisted its nuclear program serves only civilian purposes, while Israel has repeatedly claimed that Tehran is about to create an atomic bomb. Earlier this week, Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said the country was ready to make formal guarantees about the nature of its research. 

“We can guarantee the peaceful nature of our nuclear program, that it will always be peaceful. In return, we expect the sanctions to be lifted,” the foreign minister said in an interview with Fox News. At the same time, Araghchi signaled that Tehran’s missile program was not negotiable, being considered necessary for defense and deterrence.