US envoy and Iranian foreign minister reactivate direct channel amid war tensions: Sources

Iran and U.S. have been in direct contact in recent days

A direct communications line between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been reactivated in recent days, according to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter, told Axios.

This marks the first known direct contact between the two since the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran began more than two weeks ago.

Messages focused on ending the conflict

Sources told Axios that Araghchi sent text messages to Witkoff that focused on efforts to end the war. It remains unclear how substantive these exchanges were or how many texts were exchanged.

Earlier, Drop Site News reported that Witkoff had also sent messages to Araghchi, with Iranian officials claiming the foreign minister was ignoring the U.S. envoy’s communications. A U.S. official, however, stated it was Araghchi attempting to engage, adding that Washington “is not talking” to Iran.

Trump comments on Iranian communications

President Donald Trump acknowledged on Monday that Iran had communicated with the U.S., but said it was uncertain whether the officials involved were authorized to negotiate.

“They want to make a deal. They are talking to our people... we have people wanting to negotiate, [but] we have no idea who they are,” Trump told reporters.

Despite his doubts, Trump expressed openness to talks, stating that “sometimes good things come out of it.” He highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Iran’s leadership, noting that many top officials are dead and that the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen and might be deceased.

U.S. stance on potential peace deal

A senior U.S. official dismissed Iran’s demand for “reparations” as part of any peace deal, but emphasized that the president remains open to an agreement that allows Iran to “integrate with the rest of the world and make money from their oil.”

“The president is always open to a deal. But he's not negotiating from a position of weakness. He's not backing away from the reasons this conflict started,” the official added.

Iran’s position on negotiations

Iranian officials have publicly stated that they are not engaged in ceasefire negotiations with the Trump administration. They insist that any peace arrangement must include guarantees that it will be permanent, rather than temporary, preventing future attacks by the U.S. or Israel.

Araghchi’s role and authority

Before the war, Araghchi was not considered a key decision-maker. Current U.S. assessments suggest he still may not hold full authority but appears to coordinate with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the country’s de facto civilian leader since the killing of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

U.S. officials continue to rely on Araghchi as the primary interlocutor due to their preexisting relationship and the fact that he is still alive.

Strategic concerns in the Gulf

Meanwhile, President Trump criticized allies who have declined to assist the U.S. in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route. Administration officials are seeking support for a coalition, but no countries have yet committed warships to the waterway, which Iran claims is operating under “special conditions.”