Witkoff to meet with Israel’s intelligence chief before talks with Iran

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Mossad Director David Barnea and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in Paris on April 18, before beginning negotiations with Iran, Axios writes. No further details have been given.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in turn, expressed hope that negotiations with Iran would be effective and lead to a peaceful resolution of the situation surrounding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

On April 17, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced that the next round of talks would take place on April 19 in Rome.

Earlier, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. The statement noted that Netanyahu “led numerous covert and overt operations” that ensured Iran currently does not possess nuclear capabilities.

Last week, indirect talks took place in Muscat between U.S. and Iranian officials, mediated by Oman, to resolve the situation concerning Iran’s nuclear program.

The Iranian delegation was led by the country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, while the U.S. delegation was headed by President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The negotiations in Oman marked the first high-level contact between officials from both countries since 2022. The aim is to resolve longstanding disagreements related to Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has repeatedly stated he is ready to use force if the Islamic Republic refuses to accept an agreement.