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State Department: April Iran meeting a non-negotiation "touch base"; Special Envoy Witkoff to attend
Summary
The State Department called the April meeting with Iranian officials a preliminary, non-negotiating meeting to explore possibilities; Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was confirmed as attending, according to the spokesperson.
A State Department spokesperson said an April meeting with Iranian officials is intended as a preliminary “touch base,” not a negotiation, and confirmed that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will attend.
Asked to clarify whether talks would be direct or indirect, the spokesperson declined to confirm Iranian statements and instead said, “What I can tell you is what the Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said is that Mr. Witkoff, Special Envoy Witkoff will be there.”
The spokesperson repeated that the administration’s stated objective is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and described the meeting as an exploratory encounter to determine what further diplomacy might be possible. When pressed on whether sanctions relief or specific mutual concessions would be discussed, the spokesperson said the event is not a negotiation and that diplomatic processes would be described by senior officials as appropriate.
Journalists asked whether the meeting might set a timeline or preparatory stage for future talks; the spokesperson said the meeting’s structure and any follow-up are for participants to decide and that the U.S. view is that the session is a first, exploratory contact.
The spokesperson referenced the president’s public remarks about diplomacy and reiterated that details of the composition and format are for the parties to determine.
