Several Middle Eastern countries reportedly to participate in Friday’s US-Iran talks

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attend an Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Jeddah on March 7, 2025. (Amer HILABI / AFP)
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attend an Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Jeddah on March 7, 2025. (Amer HILABI / AFP)

US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner will join special envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul for talks with Iran, Channel 12 reports.

The talks will be the first direct negotiations between the US and Iran since the June 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities by Israel and the US during the 12-day Israel-Iran war.

The foreign ministers of Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt are expected to take part, as are representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Oman, and perhaps the UAE, according to the report.

The US wants Tehran to hand over its stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium in the first phase, but is aiming for a package deal that will include “meaningful compromises” by Iran.

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