Senior U.S. and Iranian officials are preparing for what could be the first direct meeting between the two governments since nuclear negotiations collapsed and a brief war erupted last summer, according to Axios.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet Friday in Istanbul, two sources said. A third source familiar with the discussions cautioned that Friday remains a “best case scenario” and emphasized that plans are not final until the meeting occurs.

If held, the talks would mark the first engagement between U.S. and Iranian officials since negotiations broke down and a 12-day conflict last June sharply escalated regional tensions.

The potential meeting comes as the United States continues a major military buildup in the Gulf and as President Donald Trump has repeatedly said a swift diplomatic deal is the only way to avoid another military confrontation.

The possible talks are the result of several days of diplomacy led by Turkey, Egypt and Qatar. On Monday, the foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt again spoke with Araghchi to discuss arrangements for a meeting, according to people briefed on the outreach.

Iranian state media has also reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian directed officials to renew negotiations with the Trump administration. Speaking Monday, Araghchi said Iran is open to diplomacy but warned against coercion. “Diplomacy is incompatible with pressure, intimidation, and force,” he said.

Despite the renewed contacts, significant differences remain. The Trump administration has long insisted that any agreement must address Iran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile development and its support for regional proxy groups. Iranian officials have maintained that negotiations should be limited strictly to the nuclear issue, leaving open questions about how the two sides would bridge that gap.

Witkoff’s expected trip to Turkey would follow a series of high-level stops in the region. He is scheduled to travel to Israel on Monday to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, an Israeli official said, noting the meeting was requested by Netanyahu.

Witkoff is also expected to meet with Eyal Zamir, who recently returned from Washington after briefing Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine on Israel’s defensive and offensive plans in the event of a conflict with Iran.

From Israel, Witkoff is expected to travel to Abu Dhabi for trilateral talks involving Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday, before heading to Turkey for the anticipated discussions with Araghchi.

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