Hakan Fidan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, met and consulted with Marco Rubio, his American counterpart, on Wednesday during the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Atlanta.
Review of Negotiation Status
The main focus of the discussions between Hakan Fidan and Marco Rubio was to review the latest status of negotiations ongoing between Washington and Tehran. According to American and regional officials, positive progress has been made in the negotiations, and discussions continue with the aim of reaching an agreement.
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Challenges in the Negotiations
Currently, two conflicting demands are hindering progress in the negotiations. On one hand, the Trump administration insists that Iran must make concessions regarding its nuclear program as part of the resumption of negotiations. On the other hand, Iran is demanding the lifting of the maritime blockade, the release of frozen assets, and permission to sell oil.
Regional countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia are encouraging Iran to agree to resume negotiations before the U.S. midterm elections. If the Republicans suffer a heavy defeat in these elections, Trump may be more inclined to issue an order to carry out a large-scale military operation.
Qatari Negotiating Team
The Qatari negotiating team is now on its way back from Tehran to Doha after a day of discussions about a potential agreement with the U.S. The Iranian negotiating team will also join them on their flight back to Doha. A diplomatic source has stated that negotiations will continue on Saturday.
Iran's Reaction to German Chancellor's Statements
Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, reacted to the German Chancellor's statements regarding U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, saying: "They are doing Europe's dirty work." He also added: "100 billion euros is nothing compared to the devastating and overwhelming blow that the powerful armed forces of Iran will deliver to those who dare to attack our nation. There will be no more red lines."
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