Details of a secret call between the United States and Iran that nearly ended the war
Israeli reports have revealed details of a secret call between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that paved the way for a “breakthrough.”
The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that last Thursday could mark a pivotal turning point in the course of the war, revealing what the parties succeeded in achieving and what they failed to accomplish.
The newspaper explained that this shift came after “a routine phone call, from a mobile phone in Tehran to another in the United States, involving Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on one side and U.S. mediator Steve Witkoff on the other, in the presence of Jared Kushner, one of the closest associates of U.S. President Donald Trump.”
It added that Israel has not yet received an official report from Washington regarding this development, suggesting that this may be linked to a previous “bitter” experience for Witkoff, when he sent his envoy Adam Boehler to negotiate with Hamas, before details of the mission quickly leaked to the media.
Approval of the Supreme Leader
The newspaper stated that Trump’s announcement of a secret communication channel with Iran, known only to a limited number within his administration, was quickly denied by Iran, at a time when Tehran appeared surprised by the rapid disclosure of this contact.
Returning to the content of the exchange, the newspaper cited informed sources saying that Araghchi was keen to inform the Americans that he had opened this channel after obtaining the approval and backing of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
An Israeli official familiar with the matter said: “It was extremely important for Araghchi that the Americans knew he was acting with an official mandate from the decision-makers.”
According to the newspaper, these talks “effectively amount to U.S. recognition of Khamenei the son’s rule in Iran.”
Details of the call
Regarding the substance of the call, the newspaper explained that “in the details that were later turned into drafts exchanged between the two sides, the Iranians expressed willingness to offer something close to what they had agreed to in Geneva during the last round of negotiations before the war, and to discuss transferring highly enriched uranium to Russia.”
However, in return, Iran insisted on refusing to abandon its ballistic missile program or halt uranium enrichment on its own territory.
During the call, the newspaper reported that Witkoff raised his voice, despite being in a public place, emphasizing to Araghchi that Trump’s position is clear and non-negotiable, namely rejecting any uranium enrichment inside Iran.
It continued: “The dialogue lasted for some time, and when it ended, it left momentum that did not stop,” noting that Israel received news of the talks “positively.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told foreign journalists on Monday that he is convinced the war will end “much sooner than they expect,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
According to the newspaper, all U.S. and Iranian efforts are focused on holding a negotiating meeting this week, possibly two, with the first expected to bring together Vice President JD Vance and Araghchi.
Until that happens, if it does, “the Iranians are likely to concentrate their fire on Israel to deepen the rift between it and the United States and isolate it,” according to the newspaper.
