Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington remains committed to what he described as “peace through strength” during a visit to the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed in the Arabian Sea near Iran, as diplomatic efforts cautiously resumed between Washington and Tehran amid continued military tensions.
Witkoff, accompanied by Jared Kushner, visited the carrier as part of a show of force underscoring U.S. military readiness in the region. Speaking from the deck of the Lincoln, Witkoff said President Donald Trump’s message of achieving peace through deterrence enjoys broad support, adding that he met a U.S. service member who had taken part in intercepting an Iranian drone.
“The United States defends its interests, deters its adversaries, and shows the world every day how prepared and determined it is,” Witkoff said, emphasizing that U.S. forces remain on constant alert.
The visit came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran hopes to quickly resume negotiations with the United States, while warning that Iran is prepared to strike U.S. military bases in the region if it comes under American attack.
Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran were held on Friday in Muscat, marking the first such engagement since the United States carried out strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites in June during a 12-day war that began with Israeli attacks on Iran. After the talks concluded, Trump described the discussions as “very good,” while Araghchi said the atmosphere had been “very positive.”
Trump announced that the two sides would meet again early next week. Araghchi led the Iranian delegation, while the U.S. team was headed by Witkoff and included Kushner. Although Araghchi described the talks as indirect, he acknowledged that there was an opportunity for a brief handshake with the American delegation. U.S. outlet Axios reported, citing two sources, that direct discussions also took place between Araghchi, Witkoff, and Kushner.
Despite the positive tone, Araghchi cautioned that “the road to building trust is still long,” stressing that Iran’s nuclear issue can only be resolved through negotiations. He said Tehran is open to an agreement that would reassure the international community regarding uranium enrichment by reducing enrichment levels.
Western countries and Israel accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, insisting that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. Prior to the war with Israel, Iran was enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, a level close to weapons-grade material.
Trump has repeatedly called for a complete ban on uranium enrichment, but Araghchi reiterated that enrichment is a “non-negotiable right” that must continue. He also said Iran opposes transferring its uranium stockpile abroad, an idea raised in past negotiations.
The Muscat talks followed U.S. threats of military action against Iran, initially linked to Washington’s response to Iran’s crackdown on widespread domestic protests that resulted in thousands of deaths. While the United States has deployed the Abraham Lincoln and its strike group to the region, Araghchi again warned that Iran would target U.S. bases if Iranian territory is attacked.
Araghchi also reaffirmed that Iran will not discuss its ballistic missile program, calling it purely defensive and “not negotiable under any circumstances.” While Iran says the talks are strictly focused on the nuclear file, Washington has insisted that negotiations should also address Iran’s missile capabilities and its support for armed groups in the region. Media reports say Israel has pushed strongly to include those issues in the talks.
Speaking at the Al Jazeera Forum in Qatar on Saturday, Araghchi sharply criticized Israel, denouncing what he called a “doctrine of hegemony” that allows it to expand its military arsenal while pressuring neighboring states to disarm. He said Israel’s regional project depends on weakening surrounding countries militarily, technologically, economically, and socially.
On June 13, Israel launched an unprecedented military campaign against Iran, striking nuclear, military, and civilian sites and killing more than 1,000 people, including nuclear scientists and senior military commanders. The United States joined the conflict by striking Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump later said the strikes had “eliminated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, though the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
As part of what Washington describes as its “maximum pressure campaign,” the U.S. State Department announced new sanctions on Iran’s oil sector following Friday’s talks, targeting 15 entities, two individuals, and 14 vessels. Trump also signed an executive order, effective Saturday, imposing additional tariffs on countries that continue trading with Iran.
The new measures are expected to affect trade with several countries, including Russia, Germany, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. According to World Trade Organization data, more than a quarter of Iran’s trade activity in 2024 was conducted with China, underscoring the global implications of Washington’s latest economic measures as diplomacy and military posturing continue in parallel.
